


Control

by kl125



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boys In Love, Domestic Violence, Drama & Romance, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-03-24 13:02:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 97
Words: 225,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13811736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kl125/pseuds/kl125
Summary: Seth has everything under control until he meets one Dean Ambrose, who not only throws his life into chaos, but makes Seth face the fact that maybe his life wasn't what he thought it was.





	1. Chapter 1

"Rollins!  Do you think you can have the Richardson file on my desk before you leave?"

Seth jumped as his boss' voice rang out from the front door of his office.  He'd just been gathering some files and his jacket, ready to head out the door for the weekend.

Shoulders slumping, Seth turned around with a smile, "Mr. Meyers, I can absolutely have that ready for you.  I'll have that over to you ASAP."

"Excellent!  You know Seth, I've really been impressed with you lately.  You're here earlier than everyone us and you're always one of the last ones to leave.  I just want to let you know that we really appreciate all you do here.  Keep this up son and you'll be a partner here sooner rather than later."

As quickly as he'd appeared, he was back down the hall, presumably headed to his office.  Seth shook his head, getting up and shutting his door, determined to not be interrupted by anyone else.

He'd been working for Meyers and Jameson in his hometown of Davenport for three years and in that time he'd had to cancel on a number of plans in order to accommodate his boss' ever changing demands, but Seth had taken on that responsibility the minute he'd decided to become a lawyer. 

He'd watched his father rise up the ranks in the office growing up and he'd been there when his father had retired, his co-workers giving him a glowing send off party that had included a plaque presentation announcing his father as lawyer of the year, his case wins higher than everyone else's in the office.

His father had always expected him to follow in his footsteps and although Seth had gotten off track in high school, he'd found his path once again in college and he hadn't looked back. 

After a internship at his father's old firm, Seth had slid right into a junior associate role and he'd been working his ass off ever since to move into a partner role.

Sighing, Seth picked up his phone and texted his friend Finn.  It had been forever since Seth had had a chance to hang out with Finn and their friend Sami and with WWE in town for a house show, the trio of wrestling fans had purchased tickets for that night's event. 

Now it looked like Seth was going to be stuck in the office for at least a couple more hours as he got the file together. 

He grimaced as his phone buzzed with a series of what he was sure were angry text messages and sure enough, both Finn and Sami had messaged him telling him he needed to grow a backbone and tell his boss that he had plans for the evening already.

He rolled his eyes at his friends, they just couldn't understand the pressure that Seth was under.  Neither of them had high pressure jobs and neither of them cared what anyone thought about them.  There was no way Seth could go to his boss and tell him that instead of preparing the report, he wanted to leave so he could go see a wrestling show. 

He knew from personal experience with his father that no one in his office would be impressed with his "juvenile" interests.  He tried to imagine any of his co-workers at the show and he had to laugh as he pictured their expressions.  It would definitely be a culture shock. 

Squaring his shoulders, Seth texted his friends back, letting them know that if he was lucky and could get the file ready within the hour, that he'd try to hurry and meet them at the venue.

Seth threw himself into his work, managing to get it done about a hour and a half later, rushing to hand it over to his boss, thankful that he was on the phone and couldn't ask for anything else. 

Seth flew back to his office and grabbed his jacket and the bag of files he'd already packed and he hit the parking garage, jumping in his car.  He knew that he'd probably miss the beginning of the show, but at least he could catch most of it if he didn't hit any traffic.

He pulled up outside about a half hour into the event and quickly tugged off his suit jacket and tie.  Unfortunately, he wasn't going to have any time to change into the jeans and Wrestlemania shirt he'd been planning on sporting, but at least he'd gotten rid of the most imposing part of his work outfit.

Feeling a hint of excitement, he bounced out of his car and began to make his way to the nearest entrance.  He'd been parked to the back of the venue because of his lateness and as he walked, he began to pass some of the WWE trucks, which had surely transported the organization's massive staging. 

Grinning, Seth pulled out his phone, ready to text his friends and let them know he'd made it and would be in shortly.  He grasped onto his ticket tightly as he began to type, dropping both when a voice suddenly rang out next to his ear, "You lost?"

Turning around, whatever Seth had meant to say was lost as he realized just who was standing next to him: Dean fucking Ambrose, one half of the duo known as The Shield and one of Seth's favorite wrestlers. 

Seth liked his performers with a edge, ones who could easily sway back and forth over the line of babyface and heel and Ambrose had always played that line with perfection. 

Seth had also always been impressed with Dean's story: starting from the bottom and fighting and clawing his way to the top.  He appreciated anyone who fought for what they wanted and didn't give up.

Of course, there was also the little fact of Seth's crush on him: Dean hitting on all of Seth's kinks. 

He liked the rugged look, a guy who could clean up when he needed to, but didn't give a shit otherwise. 

He knew that in all reality Dean was just playing a character, but Seth was drawn in by his use of sarcasm and his dry humor and now that he was up close, Dean's messy curls falling over his eyes, his mouth chomping on a stick of gum as he smirked at him, Seth found himself falling just a bit more.

"Do you not speak English?  I guess you really are lost!" Dean stated.

Shaking his head, Seth tried to clear his head enough to form a complete thought. "I'm not lost, just late.  I had to work later so I'm meeting my friends."

"Nice outfit," Dean smirked at him, his eyes moving over him from head to toe.

Bristling at the implication, Seth's voice rose, creating the nasally mix that he knew got on people's nerves, "Excuse me if I don't live up to your incredibly high standards.  I don't know how I'm going to live with the disappointment!"

"Hey, I didn't say I didn't like it!  Not everyday that we can class the place up."

Unsure what to make of his statement, Seth's brows rose, "Glad I can provide you with some entertainment.  I guess I better get inside before I miss anything more."

Before he could move, Dean was snatching up his ticket, "Hmm, that's a pretty shitty area.  How much did you pay for this?" he didn't let Seth respond as he continued on, "I'm sure we got some tickets left on the main floor aisle.  How many friends are you with?"

Confused, Seth found himself answering, "Two, why?"

He got more flustered as Dean pulled out a phone and began talking to someone.  With a satisfied grin, Dean hung up and looked back at Seth, "You're all set."

"Huh?" Seth wasn't sure what was going on.

"My friend Paul will meet you at the door and get you and your friends set up on the main floor."

"Why, I mean, what?"

"Wow, you really are coherent.  I hung you up out here and made you miss more, least I can do.  Besides, don't you want to get the best view of me that you can?" Dean threw him a wink as he moved away, disappearing on the other side of the trucks.

Just like that, Seth knew he was fucked!

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Seth stood there for a few moments in shock, only snapping out of it when his phone buzzed, Finn wondering if he was still going to make it or not.

A grin slowly grew across his face as he texted back for them to meet him near the Southside entrance as soon as possible.  He didn't know what gods had been smiling down on him today, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.  He'd met his favorite wrestler, even if he was sort of a asshole, and he'd gotten some free tickets out of the deal.

Heading inside, he asked the ticket guy at the door if he knew anything about a Paul who was supposed to meet him.  The man shook his head, scanning Seth's ticket.  Disappointed, Seth wondered if he'd been had.  I mean really, why the hell would Dean Ambrose go out of his way for some random guy he met lurking in the parking lot?

As he stepped through the metal detectors, he looked around for his friends, but his vision was suddenly blocked by a huge, imposing figure who growled at him, "You the guy Dean wants me to find seats for?  You must be, no one else can possibly be wearing a suit in here!"

Not bothering to let him respond, the man turned around and began walking away.  Rushing to catch up with him, Seth was glad to see Finn and Sami headed his way, gesturing for them to follow along.  Confused, the Irishman and Canadian shrugged and followed along.

Paul led them to the main floor entrance and down the stairs, stopping near three seats on the aisle near the entrance way about six rows back, "Enjoy boys!"

Just as he'd appeared out of nowhere, he disappeared in the same fashion, Seth staring at him in disbelief as he looked around at where they were.

Next to him, Finn and Sami were staring at him in astonishment, both blabbering questions that Seth couldn't even understand.

Holding his hand up to them, he explained, "You won't believe this, but I ran into Dean Ambrose outside the venue and because of a little misunderstanding, he offered to upgrade our seats."

"Fuck ya' man!  I don't even wanna know how ya pulled that off," Finn slapped his back as he laughed, his drawl coming out more pronounced than usual, signaling that he'd already been heavily imbibing on the venue's alcohol.

Seth had to grin as Sami bounced next to him, throwing his arm around his shoulders as he stumbled, "Man, I mean buddy, awesome, just awesome!"

"You alright there Sami?" Seth peered at him as he turned towards Finn, "So been partying hard before I got here, have you?"

Finn grinned back at him, "Ya, ya need to catch up wit' us!" Finn flagged down a passing vendor, grabbing three beers before turning back to Seth and giving him a quick rundown on what he'd missed so far.

The trio settled in as the next match began, nudging each other as some of their favorites walked by them down the ramp.  The evening quickly flew by and before they knew it, the main event was starting, Chris Jericho strutting down to the ring before his partner Kevin Owens rushed down, glaring at everything in his path.

Feeling that sense of excitement surging through him again, Seth looked up as The Shield's music hit, the crowd exploding around him.

Seth found himself shouting along as Dean and the intimidating Roman Reigns appeared at the top of the arena, Dean bouncing up and down on his heels as he clenched and unclenched his hands.

The pair made their way through the crowd and to the ring, each taking a corner on the floor as they stared down their opponents.

Storming the ring in unison caused Jericho and Owens to scramble out as Ambrose and Reigns played to the crowd.

After finally getting all four of them in the ring, Dean and Chris went to their corners as Roman and Kevin kicked things off.

The match was picking up speed as Roman caught Kevin mid flight with one of his devastating punches, but all Seth could focus on was Dean on the ropes.

He was pacing along the edge of the ring, shaking the ropes and yelling encouragement.  

Seth jumped as he watched Dean get more animated.  He let his eyes drift back to the match, finding that Roman was now in trouble, laid out on the mat.

Joining in with rest of the crowd, Seth began to chant for Dean as Roman began to crawl towards him.

He was stopped as Kevin grabbed his leg, pulling him back to the center of the ring. 

Kicking outwards, Roman caught Kevin's chin, sending him flying as Roman leapt to his feet and dived towards Dean, catching his hand for the tag.

As Dean jumped the ropes, Kevin managed to tag in Chris, who came in smirking at him.

Dean wiped it off his face immediately with a series of punches, followed by a running cross body that laid him out, almost gaining Dean the win.

Tagging Roman back in, they picked Chris up for a powerbomb as Roman stalked him, ready to lay his spear on him.

As Roman went for the pin, Kevin ran in to break it up, causing Dean to make his way in after him, delivering a Dirty Deeds that allowed Roman to once again gain the upper hand on Chris and the win.

Seth was a little disappointed that once again Dean hadn't finished the match, but it was still cool to see his favorite team win.  

Seth grabbed his phone, snapping a few more pics for his Instagram.

The pair celebrated in the ring before making their way up the ramp, Dean bumping fists with the crowd along the way.

Suddenly, he was right next to them, his smile growing as he noticed Seth, leaning forward and grabbing his phone.

He pulled Seth towards him, snapping a pic of them together before looking at the phone and typing.

Seth stared at him dumbfounded as Dean handed it back, slapping him on the back with a grin before continuing his trip up the ramp.

Looking down, Seth opened his phone, finding the photo in his gallery, but unsure what all of the typing was about until he suddenly heard his two friends cracking up next to him.

Unable to talk, Finn showed him his phone which was open to Seth's Instagram page.

Eyes wide, Seth took in the photo Dean had posted with the caption, "Dreams Do Come True!" with the hashtags #deanambrosenumberone #hot #theshieldkicksass.

Although he should be embarrassed, Seth couldn't help but admire the photo, thinking to himself that yeah, they did look pretty hot!

Heading out, Seth turned down a invitation to continue their evening at the bar.  He had a lot of work to get done on his "day off" and he needed a good night's sleep.

After promising to meet his friends at the gym on Sunday, Seth made his way to his car.

As he stepped inside his phone buzzed a few times. Figuring it was one of his friends he decided he'd check it when he got home.

By the time he made it back and walked his dog, ironically named Kevin, he'd forgotten about it.  

He hit the shower and watched a late edition of the news before deciding to call it a night.

Grabbing his phone off the charger, he suddenly remembered he had some messages.

Unlocking his phone, he sat up straight as he saw he had a bunch of messages from "Dean."

_Should have known that you'd have a stuffy name like Seth to go with your suit!_

_Thanks for the chat tonight.  It was a long day and I needed the distraction._

_Speaking of distractions, this picture is definitely doing it for me ;)_

_Was it good for you?!_

_Oh, sorry if I overstepped and misread the situation.  I'm often told that I jump into things without thinking them through.  I won't bother you anymore.  Hope you and your friends enjoyed the evening._

Anxiety rushed over Seth as he hurriedly began to type back.

_You didn't misread anything.  I'm just a dumbass and didn't check my phone until now._

_I had a great time tonight.  Thanks for setting us up and for the great pic :)_

_For the record, it's definitely doing it for me as well...but really, the guy named Dean is going to call my name stuffy?_

Nervously ringing his hands, Seth waited for a response.  When none was forthcoming, he figured he really had screwed up the best chance of his life. 

Even if it was just a little harmless flirting, it was still more than Seth could have ever imagined.

As time wore on, he told himself that Dean was probably already passed out and hadn't seen his messages.

He took out his contacts and turned off his light and settled down in his bed, just drifting off when his phone buzzed.

Snatching it up, he grabbed his pair of eyeglasses and sat up.

_I guess you have a point, but I'm not the one sporting a suit to a casual sports event!  Maybe next time you can wear one of my shirts.  I think you'd look pretty hot with my name across your chest ;)_

_We can talk more about that at dinner tomorrow night.  What time and where should I pick you up?_

More confused than ever, Seth reread the words, sure he must be dreaming.  There was no possible way that his wrestling crush had just asked him on a date!

His phone buzzed again 

_Don't worry, I'm not gonna sell your address online haha!  You're not getting shy on me now are you Princess?_

Irritated with the nickname, Seth snapped back into reality and quickly replied.

_6 pm.  I choose the restaurant and you never call me that again...agreed?_

_Deal!_

Seth sent over his address and Dean sent back a thumbs up.

Finally turning off his phone, Seth settled back into bed sure that he wouldn't be able to sleep.

He had a date with Dean Fucking Ambrose!

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

Somehow Seth had fallen asleep, but it must have been pretty restless because he woke up feeling like shit.

Groaning as he dragged himself out of bed, he threw on a t-shirt and pants and took Kevin out for his morning walk.

After jumping in the shower, he sat down, determined to get some work done before his date.

Unfortunately, he found it almost impossible to concentrate, his mind going over the events of last night on a loop.  He still couldn't wrap his head around it.

Finally giving up on trying to work, he grabbed his phone and texted Finn and Sami.

_Tell me you guys are free right now!_

Immediately Finn texted back.

_We are...what's up?_

Debating with himself, Seth finally answered.

_911, I've got a date with Dean tonight!  I need you guys to come over and help me figure out what to wear._

_We are on our way!!_

Knowing it wouldn't take them long, Seth threw together some sandwiches and put out some chips.  He was happy to find a few beers tucked into his fridge and added those to the stack on his coffee table.

Pacing, he went back up to his bedroom, pulling out a bunch of clothing options and tossing them on his bed.  He hoped his friends would help him choose something and hopefully help him calm his head a bit.

He jumped as his phone buzzed in his pocket.  Figuring it was Finn again, he was surprised to find a message from Dean.

_So this restaurant you've chosen, should I dress like me or do I need to dress like I'm spending a day at the office with you?_

Seth smiled as he received confirmation that he wasn't the only one nervous about how they were going to present themselves tonight.  Feeling better, he quickly messaged back.

_Contrary to popular belief, I know how to have a good time without "classing" it up!  We're not going to a burger joint, but we're not going to a five-star restaurant either._

_Never said you didn't Princess, but that's the best you can tell me?  NOT HELPING!  
_

_I thought we agreed you weren't calling me that and wear something between casual and dressy._

_I have no idea what that means, but I'll see what I can do.  I'm definitely picking on our next date._

_So sure that there's going to be another one?_

_I thought that was a given ;)  See ya at 6._

Continuing to smile in spite of himself, Seth heard a car door slam and headed downstairs, hearing a knock at his front door before he reached the bottom.  Letting his friends in, he was immediately peppered with questions and ended up just handing them his phone, letting them read through Dean's messages from the night before.

Finn raised his eyebrows at him as he read through the latest texts, "Damn Seth, how the hell did ya hook a guy like Dean Ambrose.  What exactly did ya do in that parking lot?"

Seth glared at both of them as Sami started chuckling next to him, "Fuck you both!  I ask you two over for some moral support and this is what I get?  Now you're not getting any of my snacks or beer!"

Sami's eyes glazed over as he spotted the snacks and drinks on the table, cheering as he rushed over, popping the top on one of the beers and making himself at home on the couch.

Finn gave him a salute as he made his way over slowly, taking a seat next to the red head, "So apparently Dean has a thing for spoiled professional types so I'm guessing ya don't need ta worry too much, you've got this in the bag!"

Seth flipped him off, sliding into the arm chair and grabbing his own beer, "Thanks so much for your help, I really appreciate it!"

Raising his beer at him, Finn said, "Always happy ta help!"

Frustrated, Seth snapped, "Seriously though, do you two have any useful advice, tips, wardrobe dos and don'ts, anything at all useful?"

Finally noticing how on edge Seth was, Finn offered, "You're really nervous aren't ya?  Man, ya are a great guy Seth, anyone would be lucky to date ya and obviously Dean already knows this, judging by his texts.  He clearly likes what he sees, so just be ya self."

Sami joined in, "Buddy, you've got this!  It's Dean Ambrose, who knows more about him than you do?  You've been following his career for years so just relax and let yourself enjoy this.  You deserve someone worth your time and attention after Patrick.  Just sit back and have a good time."

Seth winced at the mention of his ex.  Things with Patrick had been a nightmare and Seth preferred not to rehash the details, especially since he had to listen to how disappointed his family and co-workers were about the breakup on a daily basis.  The last thing he wanted to be thinking about during his date was what a epic failure he'd been during his first long-term relationship.

Urging his friends to follow him, he took them upstairs to his bedroom, where he proceeded to go through the pile of clothing he'd tossed from his closet. 

One by one, the pair dismissed everything he held up, declaring them too sexy, not sexy enough, too uptight, too casual or just plain awful.

Defeated, Seth slumped back on his bed, laying across the pile, "I'm doomed, everything I own is terrible!"

Shaking his head, Sami moved to Seth's closet, letting out a giant "yes" as he pulled out a long sleeve chocolate t-shirt and threw it at Seth.  Grinning, Finn then grabbed one of Seth's dark blue skinny jeans and place it next to it on his chest.

Nodding, Sami stated, "Perfect!  You can wear your chocolate boots and Deano won't be able to look at anything or anyone else!"

Seth glared at the Deano, but had to admit that the outfit would show off his best attributes, as well as complement his brown eyes, "I have to admit, this will work!"

Finn and Sami high-fived one another as they headed downstairs to get more snacks, leaving Seth to get dressed.  Afterwards, he joined them, finishing off the beers as they channel surfed, making fun of the pile of crap that was allowed to air on a Saturday.

As the time drew nearer to his date, Seth tried to figure out how to ask them to leave without outright throwing them out, but Finn must have read something in his face because he nudged Sami saying, "Well, we better get going.  I'm sure ya want to walk Kev and do whatever ya need ta do before ya leave.  We'll be waiting for a full report after."

Seth saluted them, "Aye, aye captain!  Thanks guys, really," he nudged both of their shoulders as they made their way to the door.

After they'd left, Seth cleaned up and then did indeed take Kevin out for a quick walk before making his way to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and taking a look at his hair critically, deciding that there wasn't much else he could do to make it look any better.

He made his way back to his living room, sitting down and half watching the news.  When 6 came and went, Seth began to pace, sure that Dean had decided that he wasn't worth his time after all.  Why would a international super star want anything to do with a uptight Iowa lawyer?  He'd known it was too good to be true. 

Turning off the tv, Seth prepared to go sulk in his room when his doorbell rang.  Running his sweaty palms across his sides, he went to open it, his heart rate speeding up as he observed Dean on the other side, who was nervously moving from foot to foot as he ran a hand back through his slicked back hair.

Seth's heart skipped a beat as Dean's eyes roamed him top to bottom, grinning as he clearly enjoyed what he was seeing.

"Princess, I've gotta say, as much as I enjoyed the suit last night, I think I'm liking this much better," he licked his lips as his eyes met and held Seth's.

"Yeah well, you don't clean up too bad yourself," Seth shared, his own eyes taking a minute to roam Dean's body, taking in the tight blue t-shirt he was sporting underneath a black leather jacket and a fancy pair of black jeans.  

Dean's smile widened as Kevin suddenly rushed out the open door, clawing at his pant legs.  Dean leaned down, picking the small dog up as he licked his cheek, "Who's this little guy?"

"That's Kevin."

"Umm, should I be worried?  You're not harboring a thing for Owens are you?"

"Not in this lifetime!  I had a goldfish named Kevin in elementary school and the name stuck with me, what can I say?"

Shrugging Dean spent a minute petting the dog, quietly talking to him, too low for Seth to make anything out.  Finally, Seth decided to get the ball rolling on their date and grabbed Kevin, placing him back in the house and locking the door behind him.

Turning around, Seth asked, "So, who's driving?"

"Well, you know where we're going so I guess you are."

Seth began to move towards the stairs, when he was suddenly stopped by Dean who grabbed his arm and then pushed him against one of the poles on the porch.  He began to ask what was going on when he was cut off by Dean's lips devouring his own, taking no prisoners as Dean's tongue forced its way into his mouth, exploring every edge of it. 

It was messy and filthy and hot as hell and it was everything that Seth could have ever wanted.  All too soon, it was over, Dean drawing back and flicking his ear as he stated casually, "Been wanting to do that since I first saw you wandering around the lot.  So, shall we?"

Without waiting for a answer, he prowled down the stairs giddily, leaving Seth staring at him helplessly.  What had he gotten himself into?

 

 

 

"

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

The drive to the restaurant was pretty quiet as Dean tapped his fingers along to the rock station Seth was tuned to.

It was a pleasant silence rather than uncomfortable and Seth wondered how he could already feel so comfortable with someone who was essentially a stranger, even if Seth knew more than he should about him.

Wincing as he thought about that fact, he decided it was best to bite the bullet now before this went any further.

"Would it bother you to know that I've followed your career from the beginning?  I don't want it to be weird that I'm a huge fan."

Turning to look at him, Dean was serious as he answered, "If it was we wouldn't be here right now.  I saw the way your eyes widened in that lot so it was a pretty good bet that you were a fan.  I appreciated that it didn't make you act any differently towards me.  You didn't let me get away with my smart ass remarks.  That impressed me and was pretty fucking attractive.  I like someone who isn't afraid to challenge me back; someone who can keep up with my sarcasm."

Seth smirked at him, "That shouldn't be a problem, it's kind of my second language.  I've got to admit that I like seeing the different sides of you outside the ring."

"Yeah well my ring persona is a exaggerated extension of who I am," Dean shrugged.  "I have my moments of arrogance and anger, but I know when to pull back.  Ring Dean has no line."

"You, arrogant?" Seth said slyly, moving to avoid Dean's fist coming at his shoulder.  "For the record, we wouldn't be here now if I thought you were the person you portray in the ring.  I get that it's a over the top portrayal, but I've always thought there was more realism in your gimmick than in most."

"There is," Dean slouched back into the seat.  "If you saw any of my early promos, most of that stuff was true.  My life was definitely not a Hallmark moment growing up," he stated almost casually.

Nodding, Seth responded, "It rarely is even when it may look like it."

Dean's head tilted towards him as he peered closer at him, "Speaking from experience?"

Gulping, Seth croaked out, "Let's just say growing up with a overworked lawyer isn't any more fun than it sounds.  Coming out as gay didn't help either."

"One benefit of not having my parents around was not having to have that conversation!"

"I can see that.  That's one day I'd like to erase from existence."

"That bad?"

"Pretty bad.  I mean they came around eventually, but now they just try to control who I date.  Can't have anyone embarrass the Rollins name!"

"Damn, I'm guessing they wouldn't be thrilled about this then," Dean gestured in between them.

Seth laughed, "Definitely not, but they still think I should go back to the man who put me in the hospital so...," he trailed off realizing he was saying way too much.

Dean's eyes widened at how easily he shared those words.  He had never been around someone so open before.

Another silence fell between them; this one filled with tension.  Dean's mind was racing, wanting to ask but not sure he should.

Finally unable to take it, he reached over and grasped Seth's hand, giving it a squeeze, "For the record, there's nothing you could ever do to make me lay my hands on you and I've been in some pretty bad relationships.  There's something about taking a beating most days throughout your childhood that makes it pretty easy to back off from similar situations."

Seth didn't answer as he pulled into the lot of his favorite Italian restaurant.  He parked and turned off the car before turning to Dean.

"Thank you for that," giving back a squeeze of his own.  "Do you think your childhood is what made you turn to wrestling?  I mean, I guess...," he trailed off as he tried to form what he was thinking.

"If you're asking if I used it as a way to get rid of my own anger, then hell yeah; especially early on when I was fighting in places like Combat.  I liked the whole survive or die atmosphere.  Luckily I kind of grew out of that.  I don't need my face rubbed into barbed wire everyday: now it's just a rare experience," he winked at him.

Seth took it all in for a minute before asking, "So the women you're always photographed with, are they a cover?"

"Nah, I'm bi.  I don't really give a fuck who sees me with men I'm dating.  I mean I usually take women to work related stuff because it's just easier and because the company prefers if we're "discreet", but I really could care less.  I don't live my life for anyone else so if I meet someone that I intend to stay with, male or female, I'm not going to hide it.  Fuck anyone who has a problem with it."

"Wow, I guess that shouldn't surprise me, but maybe it's because I spend so much time around people who are always concerned about how they appear to others."

"You included?"

"I try not to fall into that trap, but I guess I care more than I should about how I come across to my bosses and coworker's.  The office is all about appearances."

"My turn to ask you something: you said growing up with your dad wasn't a picnic, so why follow in his footsteps?  No offense, but you don't seem like that uptight lawyer who got out of his car the other night.  It was like watching a switch turn on as you stripped off that tie and got ready to have some fun."

"You were watching me even then?  I guess it's what I knew.  I'm good at it and I enjoy helping people."

"You were a little hard to miss!  So you enjoy the helping part, but not the corporate ass kissing part?"

Seth jerked, ready to fire off a protest like he normally would when someone criticized his work, but he found himself holding back as Dean's words struck a cord, making him think, "Yeah, I guess that sums it up.  So, shall we head inside?"

Realizing he was trying to change the subject, Dean gestured towards him, "Lead the way Princess."

Glaring at him as he got out, Seth couldn't help but smile as Dean's giggles reached his ears.  Shaking his head, he walked towards the entrance.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

They stepped into Marco's, Seth hoping that Dean appreciated his choice, "Italian okay with you? This has been my favorite restaurant since I was a kid and I wanted to share it with you. It's family dining and they've got a little bit of everything."

Looking around in approval, Dean nodded, "I love Italian and I'm glad you took us somewhere you know so well.  Gives me a better idea about who you really are underneath the suit."

Seth blushed at his words, saved by the boisterous restaurant owner, who came from behind the counter for a hug, his head barely reaching Seth's chest, "Seth, my boy!  It's been way too long.  We were beginning to think you'd abandoned us!"

"Never Marco, just been super busy with work, you know how it is?  How's Jeannie and the kids?" Seth asked.

Dean watched in amazement as the man began to ramble about his family before beginning to share what felt like a list of the entire town's name and what they were up to currently.  He gave Seth a "Really?!" look and he just smirked back at him as he asked a few more questions, prolonging the conversation.

Finally, the man seemed to wind down as he noticed Dean, "Seth, you've brought a friend!  Excellent, excellent, we'll get you the best table in the house!  Marie, set our friend and his date up here, won't you?"

Amused, Dean followed Seth as the waitress led them to their table.  Sitting down, he couldn't help but tease him, "Are you sure there's anyone left in Iowa that you haven't caught up on?"

Seth kicked him under the table, "Very funny!  I used to work here in high school and college.  This place helped put me through school and it paid for a lot of dates.  Marco and his wife and kids are like my second family.  They've always been super supportive of everything I do.  They even used to come to my football games in high school when my father couldn't be bothered and Marco was the loudest person at my graduation.  I owe him a lot."

Reaching across the table, Dean took his hand, "Then I'm even more honored that you decided to share this place with me," letting go he opened his menu, "Now, what's good here?"

Going over his favorites with him, Seth grinned as Marie dropped off their best bottle of wine, courtesy of Marco, "Being one of his favorites does have its perks!"

After ordering, Dean tried the wine, shrugging as he said, "Not bad."

"Clearly not a wine person, are you?  Check out the drink list, they have a ton of local beers on tap."

Dean ordered a glass on her next trip around and he and Seth began to ask some general questions of one another as they waited on their meal.  By the time their salads arrived, they'd already shared their favorite colors, sports teams and television shows and were heading into movie and music territory.

They were both pleased to find that they shared a love for horror movies and football, although that wasn't that surprising since they were both mid-westerners, but they quickly found out that they had drastically different tastes in bands and where Dean was a conspiracy theory/Bigfoot nut, Seth was a fan of rational scientific facts.

They began to debate the merits of Big Foot, both clearly enjoying the respectful push and pull as they explained their stance.  Before they knew it, they'd worked their way through dessert and their bill had arrived.

Dean grabbed it as Seth protested, but he backed off when Dean said that he'd been the one to invite him out to dinner and that Seth could pick up the next one.

After saying goodbye to Marco and promising to visit more often, the pair headed out into the dark and to the car.  It was a pleasantly warm evening and Seth spontaneously asked Dean if he'd like to take a walk through the park across the street.

Wordlessly, Dean grabbed his hand and began to walk in that direction.  They walked for a bit in silence before he asked him, "So what else do people do for excitement in Davenport?"

Laughing, Seth shared, "Not a whole hell of a lot.  There's the mall, a string of shops downtown. There's the venue we were at last night and a couple of bars that occasionally have some good bands playing and there is a decent night club if you like to dance.  Most of the time, when people want something a little more exciting they make the drive into Des Moines."

"There wasn't a whole lot growing up in Cinci either.  I mean unless you had a way downtown, there was nothing to do out in the suburbs or certainly in the ghetto I grew up in.  One of the things I love most about being with WWE is all of the traveling we do.  I've seen so many places I never would have gotten a chance to see otherwise."

"I bet, I'd love to do more traveling.  I can count on one hand the number of times I've been out of this state."

"Anywhere in particular you've always wanted to go?"

"There's so many, but I guess I've always wanted to visit the UK.  So many of my favorite bands came from there and I'd just love to see some of the clubs and I'm sure this doesn't surprise you, but I'm a museum person, I can spend hours wandering around one of those places, no matter how bizarre the displays might be."

Dean nodded, "We'll go, maybe on our first anniversary?  I love the UK, the fans over there are some of the best and everyone is so welcoming.  Museums aren't really my thing, but when I do go to one, I always find something I can enjoy."

Seth blinked at him, trying to come up with a suitable response, "Umm, that's really, I mean...,"

"Coherent as always, Princess," Dean nudged him.

"Are you always this forward?"

"I'm always up front about what I want, but I've never been this positive about anyone before so I guess yes and no?  I saw you getting out of that car and I just thought, you need to meet this one Dean, don't let him get away.  I mean, I don't know about you, but I think we could have something really great here, if we're willing to put in the work.  I'm not going to lie, dating me isn't easy and I've only tried something serious a couple of times and they were both disasters.  It's always been easier for me to date casually, but I think I'd like to risk it with you. Don't leave me hanging here, do you feel the same?"

"I, uh, yeah I do," Seth muttered, peering down at the sidewalk.  Breathing in, he composed himself as he gained a bit of confidence, looking back up at him, "I do, yeah.  I've always had a little crush on you, but I never really imagined I had any kind of chance.  I'm still not sure what exactly you see in me?"

"I told you earlier about my first impression of you.  I could see that there was more to you than what met the eye.  Now I know that's true; the more I get to know you, the more I like.  You're sweet, but you have a wicked sense of humor and a sarcasm streak that rivals my own.  You obviously care a lot about those around you and you have good taste, not to mention one hell of a tasty exterior," Dean nudged him as he leered playfully at him.

Seth couldn't help but laugh as he pushed him back, "Yeah, well I'm liking the real Dean Ambrose more and more too.  I think I'd like to see where this could go too, but how will this work?  I mean you're on the road most of the year aren't you?"

Dean's face fell, "Yeah, I am, which is usually the death knell for any relationship that I try to have.  Not many people are willing to put up with the grind I live in.  If you don't think you can do it, no hard feelings, maybe we could stay friends?"

Seth frowned as he watched Dean retreat within himself, cursing whoever had been stupid enough to turn down a chance at a relationship with him, "I don't want to be your friend, I'd like this to be more if the offer still stands.  I'm not sure about all of the logistics, but I'm willing to try."

Dean's eyes lit up as he began to enthusiastically ramble about how much fun they could have and how he'd take every chance he could to find time to spend with him.

Grinning, Seth led them back to his car, heading back out onto the road as Dean grabbed his hand, "What are you up to tomorrow?"

Deflating, Seth turned to him, "I've got a bunch of work to do, why?"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "Skip it and come out with me, I'm only in town through Monday."

Seth's chest seized as he tried to figure out what he should do, suddenly he remembered something, "How do you feel about a workout?  I'm meeting my friends at our gym in the morning.  You could come hang out with us and then we could go out for lunch and maybe a movie?  I'm going to have to use the evening to play catch up."

"Deal as long as you agree to come to Raw in Des Moines on Monday."

"Dean, I can't.  I've got to work."

"So leave early.  I'm betting you never take any time off?  Sometimes you've just got to do what feels right, man.  Let yourself have some fun.  On Tuesday you can go back to being Mr. Uptight Rollins again, but this weekend, you're mine!"

Seth shivered pleasantly at his words, he didn't realize how much he really wanted that to be true until the words left Dean's mouth, "Okay, it's a deal.  I'll take Monday off, but I'm going to have to leave right after the show so I can be up early on Tuesday."

Nodding, Dean agreed, "That's fine, but that means we can spend tomorrow night together.  So maybe we can add dinner to that list of things we're doing tomorrow and who knows, maybe more?"

"Deeeeannn, I've got to get some work done," Seth pleaded.

"I promise, I'll leave you alone long enough to do that.  Scout's honor!"

Knowing he was doomed, Seth let it go.  If worse came to worse, he could do some work in the car on the drive. 

Pulling up in his driveway, their hands parted as they got out, Dean lingering until Seth joined him on his side, pulling him in for a short, but sweet kiss, pleasantly different from his early devouring. 

Parting slowly, they smiled at one another.  Seth reached up and laid a hand on Dean's cheek, "Thank you for asking me out, I had a great time."

"Thanks for accepting.  Good night Seth."

"Good night Dean," Seth walked up his stairs as Dean moved to his car.  At the top of the porch, Seth turned around to wave at him, but instead got hit in the face with a couple of t-shirts.

Picking them up off the ground, Seth giggled as he saw Dean's "Lunatic Fringe" logo emblazoned across the front of each of them.

"One's for tomorrow at the gym and one's for Monday.  Can't wait to see you in them Princess," Dean winked as he slid into his car and drove off, leaving Seth standing there with a stupid grin on his face.

Yeah, he was still really fucked!

 


	6. Chapter 6

Once again, Seth didn't sleep very well, still keyed up after his date and nervous about calling off on Monday. 

Realistically, he knew he had a ton of personal and sick days saved up, but he still felt guilty about taking time right after he'd been praised for putting in the extra time that the others weren't.

He found himself in his kitchen drinking coffee at 3 am and perusing the files he'd brought home.

Maybe if he could finish up what he'd been working on and got a head start on the others, he wouldn't worry so much.  

He really wanted to enjoy the time he had with Dean without any distractions.

He still couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that he was dating Dean.  In just a couple of days, his life went from calm and boring to fast paced and exciting and he wasn't ready to give it up yet.

He knew somewhere down the line Dean would get tired of him; it was inevitable.  

There was a reason Seth had only had one real relationship in his life: he drove everyone away with his clinginess. He always wanted and expected too much from people and only Patrick had been willing to deal with him, but even he'd had his breaking point. 

Unfortunately, he'd chosen to take his frustration out on Seth, starting with a small punch before escalating into that fateful day he'd woken up in the hospital with one eye swollen shut, cracked ribs and a broken arm.

Lost in his memories, it took Seth a minute to realize his phone was buzzing.

Curious, he picked it up and was surprised to find a string of messages from Dean, one more random than the next.

_There's an awesome Big Foot hunter show on.  I'm telling you that's going to be me someday when I retire!_

_Is there anything worse than late night infomercials?  I mean, who fucking needs this stuff?_

_This town is so damn quiet!  What kind of a place doesn't even have any animal noises?_

_The fucking vending machine at my hotel is out of regular Doritos, what kind of a person eats Cool Ranch?!_

That one was accompanied by a picture of the machine.

Seth found himself smiling as he read them.  The fact that Dean clearly couldn't sleep either and had reached out to him meant a lot.

Before he could second guess himself, he was texting back.

_Come over.  I'm up doing work because I can't sleep.  Wouldn't mind some company and I have classic Doritos!_

He didn't have to wait long for a response.

_I'll be there in ten!_

Now Seth nervously wondered if he should change out of his T-shirt and boxers. 

He hoped he hadn't given him the wrong impression: he wasn't looking for anything more than to spend a little time with him.

Deciding not to over think it, he threw on some sweat pants and settled back down at his kitchen table where he'd spread out his work.

Moments later, he heard Dean pull up.  He got up and let him in before he could knock, "Hey," he said letting him slip by him, taking in his own sweats/T-shirt combination and his adorably messed up hair.

Dean turned towards him with a grin as he dropped the bag he was holding, "Hi, hope I wasn't bothering you.  I go through bouts of insomnia."

"Not at all.  Like I said, I couldn't sleep either.  I mean, I figured if we were both up we might as well keep each other company, right?"

"Sure, but I promised not to disturb your work, so if you need me to get out of your way at any point, let me know."

Looking at the clock, Seth shared, "Well if you want to find something to watch I can spread out in here.  I like to have a little background noise so I usually have the TV or music playing."

Instead of answering, Dean vaulted himself onto his couch, kicking off his shoes as he stretched out and grabbed the TV remote.

Shaking his head, Seth asked, "Want something to drink?  I've got a pot of coffee made already or there's juice, pop or water."

"Water's good."

Seth went back to his kitchen, pouring some Doritos in a bowl and grabbing a water.  He laughed at how Dean's face lit up as he handed him the chips.

"If I didn't think you were hot before, I sure as fuck would now!" he winked at him.

"Damn, that's all I had to do?" Seth fired back, Dean giving him the finger.

Seth went and grabbed his work and topped off his coffee mug before moving to the coffee table, sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

Dean was channel surfing, finally settling on a cooking show.

Seth looked up at him, "You cook?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?  Is it that hard to believe?"

"Frankly, yes!"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "I'll have you know that I'm an excellent cook.  I had to feed myself growing up so I kind of had to learn."

Seth's heart lurched at his matter of fact tone, but he kept things light as he responded, "You'll have to prove it some time."

"Done!" Dean nodded as he leaned over, waving a Dorito in front of Seth's mouth, who leaned forward and let him place it inside.

Over the next hour, Seth worked through his files, trying his best to ignore Dean's comments about how sexy he found his glasses, which he'd taken out to read his files, how he liked his hair pulled back and what he'd like to do with Seth's bottom lip, which he kept biting as he concentrated on his work.

Eyes starting to hurt, Seth took off his glasses, closing them for a minute as he stretched.

He was unprepared for Dean's hands to suddenly start massaging his shoulders, but he quickly got with the program, relaxing back into them with a sigh.

"Thanks, that feels amazing," Seth looked back at him.  "I'm actually tired now.  Would you want to join me for a nap?  Or I have a guest room if you want."

"I'd like that.  I can't guarantee I can sleep, but I'll try.  If I get on your nerves, you can just kick me out to the other room."

Seth stood up, offering Dean his hand and leading him upstairs to his room.

Inside, Seth took off his shirt and pulled back his covers, inviting Dean to join him.

Dean quickly shed his own shirt and slid in next to him, immediately reaching out and pulling him into his arms, "Is this ok?" 

"Ya, yeah, I mean if you want to," Seth stuttered nervously.

Dean was confused by the surprise in his voice, "Do you not like cuddling?"

"No I'm sorry, I like it, I really do, I just, I mean..." Seth rambled until Dean's hand rose to cup his cheek.

"Hey, just tell me."

Taking a deep breath, Seth responded, "I'm just not used to someone else wanting it.  My ex always pushed me away.  He said he liked to be able to breathe and that I wasn't some insecure woman who needed reassurance.  The other partners I've had were really only looking for one thing so there was no spending the night."

Dean frowned as he looked down at him, "I used to think affection was something reserved for other people, but then I met Roman and his family and they overwhelmed me with it.  I didn't have that growing up and I bet you didn't either.  When you're denied something, you want and appreciate it more.  Never apologize for wanting to be close to someone!"

Seth smiled as Dean pulled him even closer, tangling their legs together as he pulled up the covers.

As he began to drift off, Seth felt Dean's lips brush his forehead, "You deserve everything Seth.  I just hope I can be the one to give it to you."

 

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Seth's alarm went off at 8, waking him from his deep slumber, his head still perched on Dean's chest.  He noted that Dean hadn't even moved, clearly out for the count as he snored quietly below him.

Sitting up and grabbing his phone, Seth shot off a text to Finn letting him know that he wouldn't be making it to the gym until later.  He didn't want to disturb what little sleep Dean was getting. He knew with his schedule and the insomnia, that it must be a pretty rare thing.

He relaxed back into his arms, content to just lay there and watch the other man.  Dean's words as he'd fallen asleep were still ringing in his ears.  He'd never had anyone want to take care of him before and it felt pretty great.

Reaching up, he slid his hand across Dean's cheek, "I want to give you everything too, I just wish I had more to give."

He moved back down, closing his eyes and letting his breathing slow to match Dean's.  Before long, he'd fallen back to sleep with him, waking up again about a hour later and gently getting up and jumping in the shower, putting one of Dean's shirts on before heading down to make breakfast for them.

After whipping up some bacon and pancakes, Seth grabbed his breakfast tray and some juice and carried everything up to his bedroom.  He placed it at the end of the bed and then crawled back up next to Dean, gently shaking him, "Dean, I've got some food for us."

Mumbling to himself, Dean reached out and pulled him back down to him, "Sleep..."

Seth giggled, "Dean, it's after 10, I need some food."

Growling, Dean reluctantly sat up as his nose picked up the smell of bacon, "Okay, I guess you can feed me!"

Seth brought the tray up to them, Dean perking up as he took his first bite, "Mmm, I could live on bacon alone, but these pancakes are pretty good.  I usually don't have much time for breakfast so I end up grabbing a bagel or a donut or something on the run."

Seth nodded, "I'm usually in the office by 7 so I pretty much live on the coffee and donuts there."

"Weren't you meeting your friends at the gym at 9?"

"I texted them and told them I'd be by later.  It's not a big deal.  I figured we could use the sleep more than the workout."

Dean stretched, "Thanks, that's actually some of the best sleep I've gotten in awhile. Hotel beds and noises are not all that conducive to rest."

"I can imagine.  I'm glad you felt comfortable here."

Dean nudged his shoulder, "You make me feel comfortable, the nice bed was just a bonus."

Seth blushed as he looked down, "I'm glad."

As he looked back over at him, his eyebrows rose as he took in the expression on Dean's face, "What?"

"Nothing, just taking in the view of you in one of my shirts, I told you it'd be hot as hell!"

"Shut up!" Seth gave him a little push.

"Damn Princess, I didn't know you could get that red!" Dean gently teased him.  "Seeing as you already took a shower without me, I guess I'll go do the same if that's okay?"

Seth nodded, "Sure, there's extra towels on the shelf and feel free to use the shampoo and soap.  I've got an extra toothbrush if you need one too."

Standing up, Dean raised his arms above his head, his abs flexing as he did so causing Seth's breathing to quicken and a tendril of lust to settle in his belly.

He averted his eyes, much to Dean's amusement, "Feel free to look Princess, I intend to keep checking you out!" he smirked as he left the room and headed downstairs, returning moments later with the bag he'd brought with him earlier that morning.

Seth dropped back onto the bed, it was ridiculous how embarrassingly he was acting.  He wasn't a damn teenager! 

As Dean dug through his bag, Seth stood up and made his way over to him, suddenly placing his hands on his back and turning him around, "Thanks for coming over and for staying," Seth gently drew his face down for a chaste kiss before exiting the room.

Dazed, Dean stood there for a minute before running his hand over his face.  With a grin, he finally made his way to the bathroom.

...

Seth took Kevin for a walk and cleaned up his workload and the dishes while Dean showered.  

By the time Dean came down, Seth was ready to go, "Hey, still want to hit the gym with me?'

"Let's do it."

It was a quiet trip over, Dean holding Seth's hand across the console as he looked out the window.

Pulling up, Seth turned to him, "Feel free to punch Sami if he calls you Deano and just ignore anything Finn has to say.  He lives to make my life difficult."

Dean smirked, "We need to get him and Roman together!"

Seth's hand felt empty as they parted to exit the car, but his heart leapt as Dean immediately came around, his hand grasping his once again.

As they walked in, Seth told him how they'd been coming here for years until Matthew, the owner, was having some financial issues and he, Finn and Sami had invested in the place.

"I take care of the legal/financial side of things, Sami is into the marketing stuff and Finn helps with the day to day operations."

"When you said your gym, I didn't think you really meant it!" Dean looked around appreciatively.  "Not bad!"

 "Crossfit Jesus!  We were beginning to think you'd abandoned us!" Matthew strode over to them, his long black hair tied back and sweat dripping down his forehead and neck.

Seth rolled his eyes, "I was just here last weekend."

"Yeah for five minutes, you're adoring population has been asking when you're going to come back to help with the classes.  Apparently Eric isn't quite as riveting as you are!"

Next to him, Seth heard Dean moan.  He turned to him confused, "What's wrong?"

Dean put his forehead in his hands, "You're one of them!"

"Huh?"

"One of those crossfit junkies!  Remind me to never introduce you to Cesaro; I'd never see you again!" Dean winked at him, letting him know he was just kidding with him.

Relieved, Seth punched his arm before turning to Matthew, "Matt, this is Dean, my umm..."

Seth jumped as Dean grabbed his arm, pulling him against him as he loudly proclaimed, "His boyfriend!"

Matt raised his eyebrows at him with a smirk, "Did you drug him Seth?  I mean I know you've got a crush on the guy, but kidnapping is illegal!"

Seth launched himself at him, the pair struggling vainly with one another as Dean looked on amused.

"Well, look who finally decided ta join us!" Finn sidled up next to them.

"You meet your celebrity crush and friends are relegated to the back burner," Sami stated sorrowfully as he stepped up next to Finn.

Seth moved back to stand next to Dean, glaring at all of them, "I hate you all!"

"You know you love us!" Finn moved forward and messed with his hair, Seth shoving him away.

Unable to remain quiet, Sami held his hand out to Dean, "I'm Sami and that's Finn.  Thanks for the seats the other night.  That was a blast!"

Dean shrugged, "It was no big deal.  I'm glad you had a good time."

Meanwhile, Finn was still smirking at Seth, "So Dean, I've got ta ask, what are your intentions toward our boy here?"

Seth blushed, simultaneously wishing he could disappear or at least make his friends go away.

Dean grabbed Seth's hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze, "That's really between me and Seth, but don't worry, I intend to treat him well."

Seth gave Dean a small smile before turning back to glare at his friends again, "I thought we were here to work out together?"

Actually getting the message, they all turned, heading back to the various areas they'd been concentrating on.

Seth turned to Dean, "I'm going to hit one of the crossfit classes.  Did you want to go check out the other stuff?"

"Yeah, I'll do that.  Meet back here in a hour?"

Seth nodded as they separated.  As soon as Seth entered the crossfit area, he was converged on by some of his students who had seen him with Dean.

Although he did get in a workout, he spent just as much time answering questions.

As he headed back to the front of the gym, he could see Dean taking pictures with some people at the desk.

He felt bad because he hadn't even thought about Dean being accosted by fans.  That was something he'd have to get used to and be aware of.

Dean beamed at him as he saw him coming, excusing himself and making his way over to him, "Hey, good workout?"

"Yeah, you?  They didn't bother you too much did they?"

"Nah, your friends played referee.  They kept them away until after I was done," Dean threw his arm around his shoulders.  "You've got some good friends.  They really care about you."

"They're alright," Seth said jokingly.  "So, ready for some lunch?"

"Lead the way Princess!"

"Oh god, please never let my friends hear you say that, I'll never live it down!"

"Too late!" Finn and Sami had appeared next to them.  "Where are we going for lunch?"

Seth groaned.

 

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

Seth groaned as Finn launched into yet another embarrassing story from their high school and college days.

This had been going on throughout their lunch as Dean listened enraptured by the glimpse into a younger Seth.

He promised himself that he'd get some stories out of Roman as soon as he could.  Knowing Dean, he was sure there had to be some good ones.

"Oh man, remember your dad's face Seth?" Finn was doubled over laughing.

Seth grimaced, "I try not to!  I'm lucky he didn't disown me then and there."

"Yeah and then he made you take that internship at his firm.  We didn't see you all Summer!"

Seth shrugged, "It worked out I guess.  I changed over to law that semester and I had a foot in the door at the firm."

Finn continued to chuckle, "Yeah, but you've got to admit that you missed the frat days bro.  We had a blast."

Seth forced a laugh as Finn and Sami started chatting about some old buddies of theirs, but Dean wasn't fooled.  He'd seen something in Seth's expression that he didn't like.

Leaning over towards him, he gave his hand a squeeze as he whispered, "You didn't do anything wrong you know."

Seth focused on him surprised, "I know, but I hated disappointing my dad."

"You did what teenagers all over the world do.  It was harmless pranks.  I'll put my bad stuff up to yours any day of the week and I promise mine will win.  I was a strung out self destructive asshole who didn't care who he hurt."

Seth raised their hands, his lips gracing Dean's knuckles, "I don't believe that for a second.  You were fighting for your own survival and you did that right?  You got yourself clean and out of there.  I think you care more deeply about people than anyone I've ever met."

Seth grinned as a flush came over Dean's face.  It was about time he'd gotten him back for all of the blushing jokes at his expense.

"Hey, no whispering allowed at the table!  Conduct your sex talk on ya own time." Finn shouted at them, turning the heads of a number of those at the tables around them.

Finn yelped as Seth kicked him before hissing, "You can pay for your own lunch now!"

Finn pouted at him, "But it's your turn!"

Enjoying his friend's misery, Sami jumped in asking if he could order more now since Finn was paying for his own.  

Seth smiled as Dean jumped right into the teasing.  It was nice to see his friends getting along so well with his boyfriend.

He frowned as a memory of their first meeting with Patrick came up.  They'd tried to embarrass him then as well, but Patrick hadn't wanted to hear about his youthful escapades, telling him later that he was glad Seth had come to his senses and outgrown them.

After that, he'd made excuse after excuse to not spend any time with his friends and eventually Seth found himself pulling back from them too.  He didn't want Patrick to be ashamed of him.

"Isn't that right Seth?" Dean elbowed him.

"What?" Seth had completely zoned out.

"They don't believe that you're calling off tomorrow."

Seth glared at them, "Why wouldn't I be?  It's RAW!"

"Have you ever taken a day off since you started working there?" Sami said incredulously.

"Maybe, it's not like I've really needed to!" Seth snapped defensively.

"I'm so proud of ya!" Finn pretended to wipe his tears.

Seth kicked him again, "Why did I choose you guys as friends again?"

"It's definitely our charm!" Finn fired back.

Dean grinned as he interrupted, "Well you can see it for yourselves if you want.  You're more than welcome to come to the show.  You just have to find your own way there."

Seth looked at him in surprise as his friends enthusiastically accepted.  Dean just threw him a wink.

After Seth took care of the bill, paying Finn's portion as well as he tried to ignore his smirk, they stood outside talking for a minute before parting ways after Finn said he'd call Seth when they'd arrived at the venue the next day.

Back in his car, Seth turned to Dean, who had immediately taken his hand.

"You didn't have to do that, you know?"

"What?" Dean asked genuinely confused.

"Inviting my friends."

Dean shrugged, "I wanted to.  I like them and I thought it would be nice if our friends met each other.  We'll all be spending time together if this is going to work, right?"

Seth was surprised at how matter of fact his tone was, "Yeah, I guess we will."

"So?  If I remember right, it's my turn to pick our second date."

Seth nodded, "Yeah, didn't we talk about a movie?"

"Well that was before."

"Before what?"

"Before we drove by that mini golf place near the gym!" Dean shared joyfully.

Seth's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yeah, are you telling me you don't want to play some golf and ride some go carts with me?"

"I guess not.  I haven't been there in years."

"Then there you go!  I'm going to whoop your ass!"

"We'll see about that!" Seth challenged, warming up to the idea.  "But first, I need a shower...want to join me?"

Dean blinked at him, "Together?"

"That was the idea, yes."

"Fuck yeah, lead the way Princess!"

 


	9. Chapter 9

Seth wasn't sure what had possessed him to invite Dean to shower with him, but it was too late to take it back. Truthfully, he didn't want to, he was just nervous about being intimate with someone he'd essentially just met.

Yeah, he'd had some one night stands, but that was different.  He was already so invested in Dean and he didn't want to rush things.

"You're over thinking things Princess," Dean whispered in his ear as they stepped into his house.

Seth shivered, "Do you think we're moving too fast?"

"Maybe, but it feels right, doesn't it?"

Seth nodded, taking a deep breath and deciding to just go with the flow. 

He turned to Dean and grabbed his hand, gently pulling him up the stairs and to the bathroom.

Once inside, he got nervous again, letting Dean go and nervously playing with the sleeve of his shirt as his eyes roamed the room.

"Hey," Dean reached out and turned his face towards his, eyes on one another.  "We don't have to do this if you're not ready.  I'm not going anywhere.  We can take this as slow as you need."

Seth shook his head, "I don't want to take things slow.  I'm just afraid that I'm going to do something to screw this up.  I always expect too much and I always end up disappointing the people I care about."

Dean's eyes softened, "There's nothing you can do here that would be wrong Seth.  Just show me what you're feeling and I'll do the same, alright?"

Hesitantly, Seth reached out and took Dean's hand, "I can do that."

Dean grinned as he squeezed it before letting go and taking off his shirt, hands moving to slide down his pants.  

Watching for a moment, Seth finally moved to shed his own clothes, blushing as he slid his underwear off and looked over to see Dean doing the same.

Dean's eyes took in the view, a small smile gracing his lips, "You're beautiful, just like I imagined you would be under that suit."

Seth knew he had a good body, he worked hard at keeping it in shape, but he still found fault with himself when he looked in a mirror. 

Words from those in the past were always swirling in his head, but hearing Dean's words bolstered his confidence.

He let his eyes roam Dean's body, drinking in his strong torso, slim waist, muscular thighs and his impressive manhood, which was swelling before his eyes.

The sight had Seth's twitching as Dean licked his lips, dropping to his knees in front of him. 

He let his hand trail down Seth's side, stopping at his hip, "Can I?" he asked breathlessly.

Unable to respond coherently, Seth just nodded, his own hand moving to Dean's head, caressing his hair.

Hesitantly, Dean's lips began to trail across his stomach and down his thighs, just letting Seth get used to him being there.

"Dean, please!" Seth moaned, his fingers gripping into Dean's hair.

Unable to resist his plea, Dean moved his mouth to his cock, tonguing the slit as precum began to gather.

He drew his lips across the vein on the underside, enjoying the little gasp Seth made.

Unable to resist any longer, Dean took him fully in, Seth's plump member filling his mouth perfectly as Dean began to slowly move back and forth.

Choking back his gag reflex, Dean tried to relax as he began to let his length slide further and further down his throat.  His hands moved up to his balls, grasping them firmly as he stroked in time with his slides of Seth's cock.

Establishing a rhythm that worked for both of them, Dean let go, his eyes rising to Seth's with a plea of their own.

It took Seth a moment to realise what he wanted, but once he did, he quickly got with the program, beginning to slowly fuck Dean's mouth, pushing in deeper with each slide.

The sight of Dean's submission and the saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth was too much for him as he reached the edge, "De...Dean, I'm right there!"

He expected Dean to draw back like most of his previous partners had, but Dean just reached up, gripping his thighs and holding him in place as he lost control.

Seth watched in fascination as Dean gulped down every last drop, licking his lips as he slid off his spent cock, rising to his feet to give Seth a desperate kiss, sharing his taste with him.

Seth clung to him, afraid he was dreaming all of this, kissing back in hopeless disbelief.

Suddenly, he was being pushed backwards as Dean leaned over and turned on the shower.

They stepped in under the spray, Dean immediately reached for the soap as he got back to his knees, running it up his legs and then up the rest of his body.

Once he was fully standing in front of him again, Seth drew him in for another kiss before grabbing the soap and repaying the favor.

Ignoring Dean's rock hard penis, Seth opened his shampoo, urging Dean to turn around as he ran it through his hair, Dean leaning back on his shoulder with abandon as his appreciative moans had Seth's cock twitching again.

After washing out the shampoo, Seth let Dean wash his, Dean seeming to enjoy Seth's long hair as his fingers massaged his scalp.

Now both clean, Seth moved back into Dean's arms, lazily making out for a moment as the water created a warm shield around them.

Seth slowly moved against Dean, drawing more of the moans he was already beginning to be obsessed with.

Turning them again, Seth pushed him against the opposite wall, dropping to his knees as he grinned up at him.

Dean showed no resistance as Seth used his mouth to start his own exploration of Dean's body, Dean simply staring down at him in awe, his hand occasionally petting the top of his head.

Eventually, the sensations became too much for him as he began to plead, "Seth baby, I need you to touch me!" his hands tightening in Seth's hair.

Seth shivered at the new endearment as he looked up into Dean's bright blue eyes, his own chocolate pair edging into black as lust took over.

Nodding, he slid his hands up to Dean's dick, stroking him lightly as he gauged his length.  He was longer than he was used to, but he was determined to take it all.

He tried to relax as he swirled the tip around his tongue, the first taste of Dean's precum exploding across his lips.

Dean's hands flexed again, "Fuck baby, I knew that mouth would be perfect."

Seth's insides glowed at the praise, instilling more purpose as he inched his way up Dean's length, trying to relax his throat as he went.

Dean tried to hold himself as still as he could, fighting the urge to drive himself forward.

Seth grinned as his nose brushed Dean's thigh.  He'd managed to take it all in and he slowly drew back, his teeth lightly grazing the under skin of Dean's cock, drawing shivers above him.

He began to work his way back and forth, the slide becoming easier with each drive.  Certain that he could now handle it, Seth's hands squeezed Dean's hips as he looked up at him.

Communicating with their eyes, Dean nodded as he began to thrust in and out, Seth's red lips clasping him tighter with each move.  The clamping sensation had him pulsing against him, Seth's tongue continuing to devour him.

Dean's hand relaxed on his head as he gasped, "I'm about to come Princess, do you want it?"

In answer, Seth drew back, opening his mouth wider as Dean's cock lay across his bottom lips.  Shivering, Dean let himself go, the steady stream of cum shooting down Seth's throat, across his lips and covering his face.

Eyes still glued to one another, Seth cleaned every drop from his cock, before licking around his lips.

Dean reached down and drew him to his feet, "Do you know how unbelievably hot you look right now with my cum literally everywhere?"

Seth blushed, but still managed a hoarse, "Can't be as hot as you driving inside of me, owning me with this monster," he slid his fingers across his spent penis, which twitched, somehow still showing some interest.

Dean grinned salaciously, pulling him in for a kiss before adding, "I knew, I knew the minute I saw you that we would be perfect together.  I think you were made for me."

Seth's eyes widened adorably as he squeaked, "No one has ever looked at me the way you do.  I don't want to screw this up!"

Dean drew him back to him, "We can't predict the future Princess.  I've made a ton of mistakes in my past and I have a ton of baggage.  Can we just agree to be patient with one another?  Maybe if we work hard enough at it, we can keep us both from screwing this up."

Seth nodded against him, "I promise to try.  You're everything I've ever wanted babe."

Dean stroked his back, clearly pleased with the pet name.

Seth pushed backwards, moving them under the now cool spray of water.

They quickly washed off and exited the shower, toweling one another off as they moved to the bedroom for some new clothes.

They both threw on some jeans and a T-shirt before moving back into one another's arms, content to just lay down on the bed for a bit, sharing light kisses as they held hands.

Seth wasn't sure how much time had passed before Dean's voice rang out, "So, ready to get your ass kicked Princess?"

 

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

Seth stared wide eyed at Dean as he began to do a spastic robot dance in front of the golf hole that he'd just gotten a hole-in-one on.

"Told you I would kick your ass Princess!" he said, pumping his fist in the air.

"Dean, people are watching us!" Seth whispered.

Dean laughed as he moved back to the front of the hole and towards Seth, reaching out and pulling him into his dance, "Let them watch!  Besides, they seem to be enjoying the show."

Seth's eyes covertly roamed around them and sure enough, a number of people were watching them with smiles on their faces.

Of course, there were also a few snapping photos and undoubtedly capturing video of Dean, the image of the WWE superstar dancing across a mini golf course a irresistible one.

"Doesn't it bother you, that they are watching you all of the time?"

Dean shrugged, "You get used to it after awhile.  Most of them mean well and as long as they give me a little space, I'm cool with it.  Is it making you uncomfortable?  That's unfortunately one of those things that inevitably comes with dating me."

"I'm just trying to get used to it I guess.  I mean if it doesn't bother you then it doesn't bother me either," Seth reached out for his hand, giving it a squeeze.  "I'm not sure I'm ready to see pictures of myself everywhere, but I'll try to ignore it."

Dean grimaced at him, "If it gets to be too much, just let me know and there will be no hard feelings.  Not everyone can adjust to living in a spotlight."

Seth's chest seized at the thought of turning Dean away and his grip on Dean's hand tightened, "No!  I mean, I don't want that, I'll learn to adjust."

Dean frowned at him, "I don't want that either, but I also don't want you to hide how you're feeling.  If this is going to work, I think we need to be upfront about everything."

"Promise," Seth said with some relief.  "Now, let's see what I can do with this hole!"

... 

By the time they'd made it to hole 18, it was clear that Seth wasn't getting any better and Dean's hole-in-one had just been a lucky shot because he wasn't exactly lighting up the course either. 

Still, once the scores were added up, Dean had clearly beaten him and Seth could do nothing but laugh as Dean jumped around him, shooting imaginary guns at him as he gloated.

Finally, Seth reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him along, "Come on champ, the go-carts await us!"

Jumping in his car, Dean was clearly in his element, gesturing wildly at the track and bouncing exuberantly beside him. 

Seth hadn't told him that he'd been a regular here growing up and he grinned to himself as they took off from the starting line.

Dean started out with a short lead, but Seth quickly ate up the distance, passing him by with a wave and leaving him behind as he raced around to the finish line.

As Dean pulled up beside him, he pulled off his helmet, pointing at him, "You're a ringer!  I've been had!"

Seth just giggled at him, twisting his body around to do a little winning dance of his own as Dean gave him the finger.

Having paid for three races, the pair got back to it, Dean groaning as Seth beat him two more times, hanging his head as they brought their cars back to the station, "S'not fair!"

Seth laughed at him as he stood up, "Aww, don't be a sore loser now!  You kicked my ass in golf and I kicked your ass in this.  Guess we're going to have to find something for the tiebreaker."

Dean's face brightened as his head rose, "You're right!" he frantically looked around, dismissing the baseball cages and the basketball hoops. 

Turning towards the arcade, he almost yanked Seth's arm out of its socket as he pulled him towards the door and the WWE arcade game he'd seen on the way in. 

As they stopped in the front of the machine, Dean grinning beside him, Seth had to ask, "Really?"

"What?" Dean asked innocently.

"I'm betting you're going to play as yourself?"

"Well, I guess I'll give you first choice."

"Gee, thanks!" Seth scrolled through his options, smirking as he picked Antonio Cesaro.

Dean rolled his eyes as he selected his own character, "Get ready to feel my wrath Princess!"

The pair buckled down, frantically pushing buttons as their choices battled in a epic cage match, Dean smiling as he worked through some of his biggest moves.

At just the right moment, as the computer Dean moved to deliver a Dirty Deeds, Seth pushed some buttons that had Cesaro reversing the move and setting computer Dean up for a Cesaro Swing and spinebuster.

As the ref counted one, two, three, Dean howled, "This can't be happening!  I'll never live this down!"

Seth threw his hands up into the air, jumping up and down in a Rocky pose, "Thank you, thank you!  It was a long, hard road to get here, but I appreciate all of you who made it possible."

"That's it!" Dean reached out and pulled Seth into his arms, tickling him as he picked him up and began to carry him back to their car, Seth's fists pounding on his back.

Setting him down next to the driver's side door, Dean pressed him back into the car as he reached out and pulled his face towards him, latching their mouths together in a desperate kiss, "You're pretty damn sexy when you're being all arrogant."

"Yeah, well I learned from the best," Seth gasped as Dean's mouth trailed down his throat.

"Mmm, thanks for the compliment Princess.  Did you have fun?"

Seth pulled Dean's lips back up to his, their tongues tangling slowly before drawing back, "I really did.  This was a really good idea babe."

"I told you so!" Dean stuck his tongue out at him, which Seth playfully bit at.

"Ok, I admit, you were right!"

Dean grinned at him triumphantly, "Well, our date's not over yet.  I did a little research and I think we should go to that burger joint across the street."

Seth shrugged, "Sounds good to me," he pushed Dean away as he moved to step into the car, still grinning as Dean slid in next to him, "For real though Dean, I had a great time, thanks!"

"You're welcome," Dean drew his hand up for a quick kiss.

...

"Now this is my type of place," Dean shared as he leaned back in the booth, patting his stomach.

Seth rolled his eyes, "What?  Grease, grease and more grease!"

"You got it!  Come on, you have to admit this is good."

"I didn't say it wasn't, did I?" Seth reached over and shoved one of his fries in Dean's mouth.

Naturally, Dean couldn't resist licking at his fingers as he took it.

Not even thinking about it, Seth slid around the booth, sticking another fry in his mouth as he pulled Dean into a kiss.

Surprised but pleased by Seth's reaction, Dean leaned further into him, his hands moving to grip Seth's shoulders, prolonging the kiss.

Finally drawing back, Seth moved back to his seat, his face flushed with a silly grin.

As Dean looked at him, he shared, "I like seeing you like this: relaxed and happy."

Seth moved his feet, hitting Dean's, "It's hard not to be when I'm with you."

"I guess that means I need to stick around then!"

"Promise?" Seth asked quietly.

"That's a guarantee!  I already feel more comfortable with you in just a few days than I ever have with anyone else," Dean lay his hand upwards in the center of the table, relieved when Seth lay his on top, their fingers lacing together.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

Seth woke up to Dean's lips trailing down his stomach, headed towards his morning wood.

After dinner they'd come back and watched a terrible horror flick that had both of them falling asleep on the couch.

Seth had finally gotten both of them up and to his room, but they'd been so tired that they barely got their clothes off before passing out in one another's arms.

Seth had set his alarm so he could be up to call in to work, but this was a much more satisfying wake up call.

As his sleep addled mind began to clear, Dean reached his destination, taking a firm grasp of Seth's cock before plunging down onto it.

Seth gasped, his head thrashing from side to side as he tried to keep himself from thrusting upwards, "Fuck Dean, so good!"

Dean hummed as he swirled his tongue around his shaft, his hands stroking what he couldn't reach.

It didn't take much for Seth to shoot off, Dean once again taking everything he had to offer.

As he raised his head, determined to repay the favor, he was surprised to see that Dean had been getting himself off at the same time.

"You took care of yourself," Seth murmured disappointedly.

Sliding upwards, Dean lay down next to him, pulling him back into his arms, "You're so hot that I couldn't help it!" he kissed his shoulder.

"Yeah, but didn't you want, I mean I could have..." Seth trailed off, embarrassed.

"Hey!" Dean tipped his chin up so he could see his eyes, "What's going on?"

Seth tried to pull away, but Dean had a firm grip on him.  Sighing, Seth finally voiced his thoughts, "Didn't you want me to reciprocate?"

Dean smiled, "I just wanted to make you feel good and doing that was a bit too much for me.  You don't realize just how sexy you are!"

Seth stared up at him puzzled, "Really?"

"Yes really!  Sometimes it's nice to just give and not receive.  Hasn't anyone ever just concentrated on you before?"

Seth looked down shyly as he shook his head.

"Fuck! Who are these assholes that you've been with?  I know I said I like to keep myself away from physical confrontations outside of the ring, but I may have to make an exception."

Seth's mouth opened and closed, at a loss for words.  Hesitantly, he raised his hand to Dean's cheek, staring at him in wonder.

Dean cupped his hand with his own, reaching out with the other to pull Seth up and into a gentle kiss.

Resting his forehead against Seth's, Dean shared, "I'm sorry that no one has appreciated you the way you deserve.  On the other hand, I'm glad they didn't because I get you all to myself."

Seth moved back for a desperate kiss, his lips then moving to his jaw and neck, whispering his thanks into his skin.

The moment was broken by Seth's alarm, making them both grumble as they pulled apart.

Seth rolled over and sat up, stretching a bit before grabbing his phone and calling his office.

Dean grinned at how easily Seth got out of work for the day, unable to resist ribbing him after he hung up, "All that worry for a minute conversation?"

Seth gave him a little push, "Shut up!"

Dean continued to laugh as he stood up, "Why don't you go shower Princess and I'll make us breakfast this time."

Seth smiled up at him, "Wouldn't you rather come back to bed?"

"Damn, you know I would, but we need to get going."

Seth rose to join him, kissing his cheek as he passed him as he stopped to grab some clothes.

After a quick shower and a surprisingly tasty omelette, Seth waited as Dean took his own shower and got dressed.

Joining him back downstairs, Dean pulled him back into his arms, "You ready for this?"

Seth nodded, "Let's hit the road!"

...

The trip to Des Moines gave the pair more of a chance to get to know one another as they continued to ask questions and share stories about their childhoods.  All too soon, they were pulling up to Dean's hotel for the night.

Turning to him a bit sheepishly, Dean said, "Umm, this might be a little awkward, I kind of didn't tell anyone where I was going the other night and I haven't exactly been responding to any calls or texts."

Seth stared at him incredulously, "So they think you've been kidnapped or are dead?"

Dean laughed, "I doubt it, they're pretty used to me disappearing."

They exited the car and stopped off at the desk, Dean picking up a key to his and Roman's room and strolling down the hall, clearly having been there before.  Seth followed along now a little nervously.

Dean let himself into the room, pulling Seth in alongside him, "Ro, I'm back!"

Seth jumped as Roman came marching out of the bathroom, "Jesus Christ Dean, all you had to do was send a quick text letting me know you were alive!" he trailed off as he noticed Seth standing next to him.  "Fuck D, what the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up in this time?"

Seth frowned as he backed back up towards the door.  This wasn't how he'd pictured the day going when he'd agreed to come!

 


	12. Chapter 12

"Ro, stop right there!  This isn't like any of those other times I disappeared, alright?  This is Seth, my boyfriend," Dean reached out and pulled Seth back up to his side.

Seth's eyes were glued to the floor, but he didn't have to imagine the expression of disbelief Roman must be wearing.  Sure enough, his voice was suddenly rumbling, "Boyfriend?  D, this is exactly like those other times!  You can't sleep and you head out and pick up someone at some bar that you think is going to be the next love of your life and I'm the one left picking up the pieces when it falls apart!"

Seth flinched, all of his fears coming to life as he got confirmation that he was just another weekend fling on Dean's list.

Seeing him jump, Dean was suddenly reaching out to him, "No!  Seth, baby don't listen to a word he says alright?  Yeah, I've picked up some one night stands that I thought could be more a couple of times, but I already told you that none of them were interested in anything further or able to deal with my public life," he continued to plead with him as he pulled him into his arms.  "You've got to believe me!"

With Seth still unwilling to look at him, Dean whirled around on Roman, "Damn it Ro, you need to fix this! Tell him that I was never that serious about any of them.  Remember when we had that talk about what I deserved and wanted in a relationship?  Well Seth is all those things that I wanted and that you convinced me I should have!"

Roman stared in disbelief as he registered the conviction in Dean's voice and the tears in his eyes. Dean was always throwing himself into things head first and as he'd said, he was usually the one who had to help him out of trouble or get him through, but he'd never quite seen this Dean.

"Okay D, I'm listening, where did you meet him?"

Convinced that Roman could fix things, Dean dragged Seth over to one of the beds, pushing him down and sitting next to him, quickly grabbing his hand, "He was at our show the other night.  He's the guy I grabbed the phone from, remember?"

Roman nodded, "So you just noticed him in the audience?"

Dean shook his head, "No, we met outside in the parking lot.  We talked for a bit and then I arranged better seats for him and his friends.  You're gonna like them Ro, they're as protective of this one as you are of me!" Dean smiled at him.  "I swiped his number while I had his phone and I texted him later and asked for a date."

Roman looked at him disapprovingly, "You're not making me feel any better about this!"

Dean held up a placating hand, "Okay, maybe it wasn't the smartest thing for me to do, but it worked out.  We had a great time at dinner and we got to know each other and we genuinely just enjoy one another's company.  When I couldn't sleep the other night, I started texting him and he was up doing some work so he invited me over.  I hung out with his friends a bit yesterday and we went out on another date.  His friends are coming to the show tonight too."

To Roman it just sounded like Seth and his friends were taking advantage of Dean's kindness, but he could see that Dean was serious about this so he knew he needed to tread carefully.

"Okay, so how is this going to work?  Is he suddenly joining you on the road?"

"He has a name!" Dean snapped at him.  "We're still figuring it out, but Seth's just here for the show.  He has to get back to work tomorrow."

Roman nodded, his fear about yet another person disappearing from Dean's life all but confirmed.

"Alright Seth, I'm Roman," he held his hand out towards him, but Seth was lost in his head.

Dean turned back towards him, gripping his face and calling his name.  As Seth focused in on him, Dean could see the anguish in his eyes.  He clearly hadn't been listening to him.

"Hey, you didn't hear a word I said did you?"

Seth stared back at him, confused.

Dean's hands tightened their hold on his head as he emphatically restated, "Princess, I want this, want you.  I told you that I knew the minute I saw you and I meant it.  You're everything I've ever wanted and some things I never knew I wanted!  Tell me my past hasn't screwed this up!"

"Why?"

Now Dean was the one confused, "Why what?"

"Why me?"

Dean sighed, his hands dropping down to take Seth's, "I thought we already went over this.  Didn't I tell you that you were perfect for me?"

"Yeah but..."

"No buts, do you enjoy being with me?  Didn't we have a blast yesterday?"

"Of course I do and yeah, we did."

"Then there you have it," Dean squeezed his hands.  "Are you still willing to try this?"

"Yeah, I just..."

Dean cut him off again, "Good, now let Roman properly introduce himself."

Dean grinned as they shook hands, "Seth's from Davenport.  He's a "corporate lawyer."

Despite still feeling a bit uncomfortable, Seth immediately fell into their teasing, sticking his tongue out at him, "Dean doesn't think lawyers know how to have fun, but I've already proved that theory wrong, haven't I?"

Dean giggled, letting go of his hands to poke him, "Maybe, even if you did cheat at go carts!"

Dean moved to evade Seth's coming punch, Seth launching himself up and at him, the pair playfully wrestling.

"I definitely didn't cheat at that wrestling game.  My Cesaro took down your Ambrose pretty decisively!"

Dean looked at him in mock horror, "I thought we were going to never mention that!"

Taken aback by the ease between them, Roman took a minute to jump in before gently teasing Dean, "Are you telling me that you've been proven to be a embarrassment to your profession D?"

Dean just gave him the finger as he took a playful boxing swing at him. 

In response, Roman just patted his head, messing up his hair in the way he hated.

"I hate you!"

"Love you too D, which is why I covered for you when Hunter called looking for you earlier.  You better check in!"

Dean sighed, rolling his eyes as he grabbed his phone and headed out onto the attached balcony, pulling out a cigarette as he went.

Seth's eyes widened, "He smokes?"

"Yeah, guess you haven't learned everything about one another yet!" Roman said sarcastically.  "So, it's just us now.  What's it going to take to get you to leave Dean alone?"

 

 

 


	13. Chapter 13

Seth shrunk in on himself as Roman's words assaulted him.  He already knew that he wasn't in Dean's league, but he hadn't thought that his friend would be so hostile towards him, "What do you mean?"

"What do you want from me to make sure that you get out of Dean's life now, rather than later?" Roman asked again.

"I, I don't want anything.  If, if Dean wants me gone, then I'll leave," Seth stuttered.

Roman shook his head, "I'm not sure what game you're playing, but I'm not willing to wait around to see Dean's heart break again, so I'd rather head it off now.  If it's money you want, I'll write you a check right now!"

Seth leapt to his feet, "No!  I don't want money from you or from Dean!  There's no check in the world that could replace my time with him!  I have a job, a good one, and I own part of a successful gym.  I have my own car, my own house and a number of decent stock holdings, but even if I didn't, I still wouldn't take anything from you or him!"

Roman tilted his head at him, "Then what do you want from him?"

Seth deflated, sitting back down, "I just want to be with him," he murmured quietly, almost to himself.  "I know I'm not good enough for him, but he seems to think that I am.  I would never do anything to hurt him.  I promise, when he wants me gone, I will be.  I won't make anything difficult for him."

Reading his sincerity, Roman began to laugh, "Jesus!  Only Dean would manage to go out and hook up with the one person even more insecure than he is!"

Seth flinched again, hanging his head as Roman made fun of him.

Feeling bad, Roman walked over to the bed, sitting down next to him and laying his hand on his shoulder, "Man, I'm not insulting you, just making a observation.  I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but you have to understand that I'm tired of seeing Dean get walked all over.  He wears his heart on his sleeve and people like to take advantage of that.  He's a great guy, but he comes with a shit ton of baggage and most people can't deal with that.  People have walked out on him and disappointed him from day one and I just don't want to see that happen again."

"Don't worry, it won't be me walking away," Seth shared miserably.

"Listen, what Dean said earlier about this thing not being like the other times, he seems to really mean it.  I've never seen him like this about anyone.  There's something different about him.  He seems happier I guess; lighter.  For what it's worth, I hope you guys can make a real go at this.  You seem like a decent guy, I mean you passed my test," Roman gave him a little punch to the shoulder.

Raising his head, Seth focused on him, "You wanted to see if I'd trade the relationship for a offer of money?"

"Yeah, I did and you made it pretty damn clear that Dean comes first with you.  You're already ahead of the game as far as I'm concerned.  I'm just a little worried that between the two of you, you're going to screw it all up because you both think the other one wants out of this.  Damn, I guess I'm going to have to be there for both of you: welcome to the family Uce!" Roman stuck out his fist.

Seth's eyes rose in surprise, still so sensitive that the words drew more tears to his eyes.  Sniffling a bit, he asked, "You mean it?"

"Yeah, man, someone is going to have to keep you guys from taking one another over the edge.  Consider myself the older brother you've never had, that is if you don't already have one?"

Seth shook his head, "I'm an only child."

"There you have it then," Roman moved his fist back over to him as Seth tentatively hit it with his own.  Smirking, Roman ruffled his hair the same way he'd done to Dean, "You're kind of cute, I can see the appeal for Dean!"

Blushing, Seth, nudged his arm, "Shut up!  Dean thought you and my friend Finn would get along really well and I've got to admit, you are starting to remind me a lot of him."

Roman continued to smirk at him, "I'm going to take that as a compliment!"

"Fuck, that man is so full of himself!" Dean barged back in to the room.

"Everything okay Uce?"

"Yeah, the old man is back on his whole splitting us up crusade, but I think Hunter still thinks we have some plays for The Shield, so he's still pushing for us to stay together for awhile.  He just wanted to make sure that I conform and stop doing things that incense Vinnie.  Apparently, he wanted us to make some last minute appearances this morning."

Roman nodded, "Yeah, I gathered that when Hunter called this morning.  I told him I wasn't feeling well and that you'd went out looking for some meds for me."

"Oh, that's why he asked how you were feeling.  Luckily, I told him you were napping, so I guess that fits in with your story!" finally noticing the pair sitting next to one another, Dean raised his eyebrows, "Everything going okay in here?"

Looking at Seth quickly, Roman turned back to Dean with a grin, "All good here, right Seth?"

Seth smiled as he looked up at Dean, "Right!"

Relieved, but sensing he was missing something, Dean threw himself at them, knocking them both back on the bed as he piled on top of them, "Aww, my two favorite people getting along!"

Seth giggled at Dean's display, "What time do you guys need to be at the venue?  Do we have time to grab some food?"

Pushing Dean off of him, Roman responded, "I think we have time to grab a quick bite.  Let me just finished getting dressed and we can go."

As Roman disappeared back into the bathroom, Dean turned to Seth, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, Roman and I have a understanding now.  I'm glad you have someone who looks out for you the way he does."

Dean's voice softened, "Yeah, Ro's the first real family I've ever had.  He's always there when I need him, but sometimes he can be a bit overbearing.  I guess you get a little of that with your boys."

Seth grimaced, "Yeah, they were there for me even when I'd all but abandoned them!"

Sensing a long story behind the comment, Dean moved behind Seth, pulling him back between his legs, "You can tell me all about that later.  Now, where's the shirt I gave you to wear tonight?"

Happy for the change of subject, Seth grabbed the bag he'd brought with him and pulled out Dean's shirt, "I didn't want to wear it in the car, I was afraid you'd jump me and we'd never make it here!"

Dean leered at him, "Got that right!  Now strip for me and show me that you're mine."

Roman chose that moment to walk out shouting at them, "I really don't need to hear or see any of that boys!"

Giggling, Dean took off his own shirt and tossed it at Roman as he moved to grab his gear to get ready.  Seth switched his shirts as Dean began stripping in front of them, clearly having no shame.

Roman rolled his eyes at Seth, "You sure you know what you're getting yourself into?"

Seth just smiled serenely back at him as Roman threw up his hands.

...

Dean rolled his eyes as Roman continued to entertain Seth with embarrassing stories about Dean's time with him in FCW on.  Any other time, Dean would have stepped in and made him shut up, but Seth seemed to be enjoying himself and Dean couldn't take that away from him, not after Seth's own friends had done the same to him.

"It's amazing that one of the guys hasn't strangled him yet, what with all of the pranks he's pulled or the times he's hit on their significant others!" Roman exclaimed.

"What can I say, I'm a friendly guy!  It's not my fault that people can't take a joke!"

"You haven't let him drive you anywhere yet have you?" Roman asked Seth.

Seth shook his head, "No, I drove to our dates and out here.  I did follow him to the car rental lot this morning to drop off his car though.  He seemed to be fine, why?"

Roman laughed, "He must have been showing off for you then, let's just say that if you're looking to get somewhere safe, D is not your guy!  Little things like traffic lights and speed limits don't mean a whole lot to him.  That's why I usually end up doing most of the driving, although I suspect he just does it on purpose so he doesn't have to!"

Seth laughed as Dean gave him the finger and said, "Maybe, I just haven't had precious enough cargo with me, did you ever think of that?"

"Are you saying that my life doesn't matter to you?" Roman put a hand over his heart.  "I'm hurt D, really hurt!"

Dean pushed him, almost shoving him out of the booth all together, "I know you can take it asshole!  Have I gotten you killed yet?"

"No, but then I don't give you much of a chance!  I am afraid one of these days I'm going to end up in jail with you though because of all of your tickets."

"Yeah, well with you around Mom, I don't have to worry about it.  You always make sure I pay for them!" Dean said sarcastically.

"Someone has to be the adult here!"

Giggling at their teasing, Seth found them both turning towards him, "What's so funny over there Princess?" Dean asked, trying to sound serious.

Seth gulped, "You guys just remind me a lot of me and my friends.  I told Roman that you're right, I can see him and Finn getting along."

Unable to stick with his joke, Dean began to laugh along with him, "I keep telling you, I'm always right!"

Seth's phone went off and he quickly checked it, turning back to Dean, "Well Mr. Right, looks like we're about to find out.  My friends will be at the venue in about twenty minutes.  They came a little earlier.  Do you want to meet them there or have them come back to the hotel?"

Dean looked at Roman, "Ready to head over Big Guy?"

Roman looked at the time, "Yeah, I could use a little workout time, maybe they'd like to join us?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, they can both bench quite a bit.  Sethie over here is another Cesaro though so I'm not sure we can let him into our inner circle!"

Seth was texting Finn back and didn't even raise his head, just shooting the finger at Dean as he calmly stated, "Fuck you!"

Roman laughed, "Damn Dean, he is made for you!  It's like looking in a mirror."

 


	14. Chapter 14

Seth was barely out of the car before Sami was jumping on his back, "Man, you actually did it!  Now I owe Finn twenty bucks!"

Seth frowned as he looked at him, "You bet on whether I'd call off or not, didn't you?"

"Of course we did!" Finn said, strolling up to them.  "I just want ta point out that I'm the one who had faith in ya, even if you are so miserably horrible ta me!"

"Yeah, yeah, you are so mistreated!" Seth drawled sarcastically as he turned towards Roman and Dean, "Guys, I want you to meet Dean's best friend Roman.  Roman, the Irish brute is Finn and the ginger is Sami."

The pair came forward to shake hands with the Samoan, both poking Seth in the side as they went.  Staring at Roman up close, Finn was unable to resist asking about how he kept his hair so smooth.

As they began to discuss hair care options, Seth raised his eyebrows at Dean, who was busy getting pulled into a hug by Sami, who was thanking him profusely for once again setting them up with tickets to a show.

After accepting the thanks, Dean raised his voice, "How do you boys feel about joining us for a workout?"

Happy to tag along, Finn and Sami fell into step with him as Seth lagged behind with Roman.

"So, you're really into crossfit, huh?" Roman asked.

"Why does everyone ask that like it's a bad thing?" Seth sighed.

"Well, Cesaro has kind of grown a reputation around here and not in a good way.  He's always overexerting himself and trying to get others to join in.  He's a little bit too overeager I guess."

Seth jumped as a loud booming voice rang out next to him, "Did someone call my name?" Antonio Cesaro draped his arm around Roman's shoulders.

"I was just telling my new friend here that you're our resident crossfit expert Tony."

Cesaro's eyes lit up as he checked Seth out from head to toe, "You interested in trying it out?"

Smirking Seth responded, "I don't need to check out anything, been teaching advanced crossfit classes for years now!"

Cesaro moved his arm away from Roman and over to Seth, sidling up against him, "You don't say!  I'd love to see what you can do," his voice dropping a octave as his eyes continued to roam Seth's body.

"I bet you would!" Dean knocked Tony's hand off of Seth's shoulder as he inserted himself between them, his hand grasping onto Seth's.  "Maybe later, right now Seth and I are getting to know one another's friends."

"Are you saying that I'm not your friend?  After all we've been through together Dean?" Tony asked smugly.

"Friends constitutes actually spending time together hanging out and I don't really recall us ever doing that, so..."

"Well, there you go, maybe we should!  You can bring your new friends."

"We'll think about it," Dean dismissed him.

As they moved down the hall, Seth kept giving Dean side looks, finally making him stop and ask, "What?"

Seth shrugged as he looked at him, "You were jealous!"

"Of who, Cesaro?  I'm not jealous of that over blown bald mutant!" Dean insisted.

Finn, Sami and Roman all began to laugh at him, Roman sharing, "D, I'm pretty sure we can all say you were jealous as hell.  You practically took off the guy's arm getting in between him and Seth!"

"Whatever!" Dean stomped off down the hall, dragging Seth along with him.  As they moved closer to the weight room, Seth ran his hand down Dean's arm soothingly as he whispered, "I liked it, like the idea of you asserting your role as my boyfriend."

Letting his own voice drop as he looked at him, Dean asked, "Really?  Usually everyone tells me that I'm acting like a child.  My possessive streak has gotten me into trouble in the past."

"Well I think it's nice.  Patrick always acted like he could have cared less about things like that, said he didn't worry about anyone trying to snatch me up, I guess because he either believed no one else would want me or that I'd already gotten the best with him and wouldn't dare to look at anyone else."

"Fuck, the more I hear about this guy, the more I dislike.  We're going to talk about that later and about you turning your back on your friends," Dean let the conversation drop as the guys caught up with them.  "What's your poison boys?  Ro and I like to get in a little light weight lifting before we hit the ring, but the company usually travels with a little bit of everything.  Feel free to check it all out.  If anyone asks, just let them know you're with us."

Beaming, Finn and Sami set out to explore as Roman nodded at Dean and Seth and took off to his usual corner. 

Dean turned back to Seth, "Princess, for the record, I might have been a little bothered by the attention Tony was giving you, but I promise that I trust you, alright?  I mean, I know we haven't known one another long, but I do.  It's just sometimes, I have these moments of anxiety or whatever, so if I ever say or do something you don't like or appreciate, can you let me know?  The one thing I have learned from my other failed relationships is that without communication, there really isn't anything to build on."

Seth's eyes gleamed at him, "I promise, if you do the same and I trust you too.  You stepping in really didn't bother me, actually..." Seth moved back too him, letting his voice drop again, "I found it kind of hot!"  With that, Seth set off to look around, Dean trailing behind him with a lovestruck look on his face.

...

They'd all parted ways to use various machines, but eventually all met up around the weight benches as they all took turns challenging one another. 

Dean had introduced Seth to a few other people, but for the most part, everyone was busy getting into a mindset for the show and kept to themselves.

Sami was benching when Dean and Seth's conversation was suddenly halted by a loud hiss into Dean's ear, "Who's your friend?"

Dean winced as he responded to the abrasive Kevin Owens, "This is Seth."

"No, not him, him!" Kevin pointed at Sami, his eyes glued to him as Roman stood behind him, spotting him.  "I heard him tell someone he was Canadian."

"Actually, he's a mixed breed: Syrian-Canadian," Seth corrected him.

Eyes lighting up, Kevin turned to Seth, "Tell me more!"

Seth stared helplessly at Dean, unsure how to respond.

"Kev," Dean interceded.  "Maybe you could introduce yourself and find out yourself!"

"You're right, I should.  Thanks buddy," Kevin responded earnestly, wandering over and loudly introducing himself to Sami and Finn as he acted as if he and Roman were the best of friends.

Dean rolled his eyes, turning back to Seth, "Buddy, the guy does nothing but beat me up and insult me in and out the ring and now we're buddies."

Seth laughed as he watched Sami turn red, Kevin boldly telling him that he'd never seen someone so beautiful before, "Well apparently, Sami's put some kind of a spell on your "buddy."

Dean flinched, "I don't even want to think about that!  Is Sami even gay?"

"He is and he's been single for quite awhile.  I take it Kevin is?"

Dean shrugged, "I have no idea.  He's certainly never showed it before.  He was married to a woman at one point, so who knows?" Dean shuddered again as he thought about it.

Finn stepped up next to them, "I think Roman's about ta shit himself over there.  Ya friend just told Sami he'd be interested in giving him a private workout.  Thanks again for having us Dean, this trip is making my year!"

Dean dropped his head into his hands as Seth fell into giggles beside him.


	15. Chapter 15

After the workout, they all wound up back in Dean and Roman's locker room, while the wrestlers went to do some pre-show stuff.

Finn was currently mercilessly teasing Sami about Kevin as Seth was lost in his own thoughts about his inevitable parting with Dean later that evening.

"Come on man, ya got ta admit the guy's a little creepy!" Finn asked.

"I don't know, he's kind of sweet in a aggressive pitbull kind of way," Sami said, blushing.

Turning to Seth, Finn shouted, "Are you hearing this?  I think Sami actually likes that creep!"

Noticing that Seth wasn't paying attention, Finn and Sami shared a look, immediately heading over to his side as Sami laid a hand on Seth's shoulder, "Hey Seth, everything okay?"

Focusing in on them, Seth gave a sad smile, "Sorry, I'm just thinking about having to go back home after the show. Dean will be off to wherever they're headed next and our weekend will be over."

Finn patted his back, "Ya, but that doesn't mean that ya guys will be over, right?  Ya said that Dean wants a relationship and ya want the same, so what's the problem?"

Seth shook his head, "Realistically, how is that going to work?  Dean's on the road and I've got a intense job that I have to be at everyday.  The odds of us finding anytime to see each other are pretty slim and I won't blame Dean for moving on."

"Hey!  The guy seems pretty genuine to me and he's got it bad for you Seth.  Give the guy a chance to prove himself to you before you go giving up, alright?" Sami pleaded with him.  "I told you before, you deserve a little happiness.  You invest yourself so hard into things man and I know that hasn't worked out very well in the past, but that doesn't mean that it won't this time."

Seth smiled at them, "Thanks you guys.  I'll try to look at it positively, alright?"

They nodded at him, but they both knew that their words hadn't made much of a difference.  Seth was so confident in some aspects of his life, but so unsure of himself in others and they hated watching him get hurt time and time again.

...

Dean and Roman had met with Hunter to go over a few things, did a interview with a local radio station and a meet and greet and were now heading back to get the others to grab some dinner in the cafeteria.

"What time does your flight leave?" Roman asked.  "I figure we can drive to the airport like usual unless you're having Seth drive you?"

"Not going anywhere," Dean mumbled around the gum he was chewing.

"What was that?" Roman asked, sure he'd misheard him.

"I said I'm not flying home.  Cancelled my flight."

"Seth asked you to stay?"

"Not exactly," Dean shrugged.  "Figured I'd surprise him by staying.  It's not often these days that we get a week without house shows.  My neighbor's fine with keeping Blue until our next break.  I think I'm going to bring him back out next time.  It's been awhile since our mascot traveled with us.  Wonder if he'll get along with Seth's dog.  He fucking named him Kevin Uce!" Dean rambled on, but Roman wasn't going to be deterred.

"D, you can't just spring it on Seth like that!  You should have talked about this before you cancelled your flight."

"Ro, Seth's gonna be happy I'm staying."

"I'm not saying he won't, but you just met and you're inviting yourself to live with him for a week.  D, that's something that needs to be decided between the two of you."

Dean stared at him blankly, "You think so?"

"I know so.  It's Relationship 101 Uce."

Dean nervously began to tug on the nape of his neck, smacking his gum harder, "What should I do?"

"Talk to him!  And make sure you apologize for jumping ahead without asking first.  I'll take Finn and Sami to eat and you can have a little time alone OK?"

They walked in and Dean loudly announced that he and Seth needed a minute alone, Seth's face falling as he prepared for the conversation he'd been dreading.

Shaking his head, Roman led the others out.

...

"It's okay, you don't need to say anything Dean, I get it.  I had a really great time this weekend," Seth cut him off before he could say anything.

Dean stared at him confused, "Huh?  What are you talking about?"

"Ending this, that's what you wanted to tell me right?"

"What the fuck are you talking about Princess?  Did you change your mind already?  Did Roman say something else to you?" Dean was beginning to pace, his hands swinging wildly.

"No, Roman's been really nice actually after we talked.  I just thought, I mean you said we needed to talk, that usually doesn't bode well."

Dean stopped, tipping his head at him, "So you don't want out of this?"

"No, but I'm not sure how it's going to work. I mean after you leave tonight, when will we even have a chance to see one another again?  I'm willing to do whatever it takes, but I can't really travel that much, not with my job.  I really want to make partner at the firm and the only way I'm going to do that is if I keep working the long hours that I do.  And you can't just take off whenever you want to either.  You've got shows throughout the week all over the world!" Seth was rambling at high speed.  "So I'm just saying that I understand if you just want to end it now."

Hearing enough, Dean moved forward, pushing Seth backwards until his back hit the wall, "Princess, you need to calm down, or we both do I guess!" he moved his forehead to rest against his, staring at him intensely.  "Let's get one thing straight, I have no intention of ending this, not now and not any time in the future if I have anything to say about it.  I'm not sure how it's all going to work either, but if we want it enough, we'll figure it out.  We have to!  Now, can you stay quiet and still for a minute and listen to what I really wanted to talk about?"

Breathing heavily, Seth just nodded, his eyes glued to Dean's.

"Alright, I did something, something that I didn't think was stupid at the time, but that I've been informed by Roman really is, so I want to apologize ahead of time and hope you understand," now Dean was rambling again and this time it was Seth who reached down for his hand, giving it a squeeze of reassurance.

Taking a deep breath of his own, Dean continued, "Ro and I have the week off for a change.  There's only one house show and we're not scheduled so we both planned on flying back to our homes.  Ro's excited to spend some time with his wife and kid and I was happy to get back and pick up my bull dog Blue from my neighbor.  He's great about watching him for me when I don't take him out with me on the road," Dean watched as Seth's face darkened a bit, clearly upset at the thought of Dean leaving.  "I can see that you're not any more ready for me to leave than I am.  That's why I had this spontaneous idea to cancel my flight and spend the week with you.  Blue's fine for another couple of weeks until we're back my way and I can get him.  He usually travels with me, but he was sick and I didn't want to drag him out with me.  Anyways, I told Roman that I'd made the decision to stay without talking to you first and he seems to think that I should have talked about it with you first."

Seth's face brightened, "You're really going to stay?"

"If you'll have me, yes, but is Ro right, should I not have tried to surprise you?"

Seth was silent for a moment, seeming to get his thoughts together before he spoke, "He's not wrong that we probably should have talked about it first.  I've been worrying all day about you leaving, it would have been nice to know that you weren't, but I think it's nice that you wanted to surprise me.  I think we both would have been feeling better if we had just said what we were thinking though."

Dean face scrunched up at him, "I guess I can see what you mean.  I'm sorry that I let you think that I wouldn't be around after tonight.  I thought that we were already in agreement that we were pursuing this.  With that being said, Seth, would it be all right if I stayed the week with you at your place?  I'll have to fly out on Monday for RAW, but until then, my schedule is open and free."

"I'd love for you to stay with me Dean!" Seth smiled at him.  "However, I am going to be working all week, so I'm not going to be around a whole lot.  Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not as long as you promise to set aside a little time for us.  I just want us to have a little more time to get to know one another before we're forced apart."

"I can do that," Seth agreed.  "Maybe we can still have that movie date after all!"

Dean grinned at him, "And I can show you what else I can cook besides breakfast.  I know you have to work this week baby, but can you set it aside next weekend and just spend it with me?  I've got some ideas and I don't want you to be distracted."

Seth raised his eyebrows at him, "I promise.  What did you have in mind?"

Dean laughed, "Patience is a virtue Princess!"

"Yeah and you're such a model of patience yourself, babe!"

"Do as I say, yada, yada, yada!" Dean moved away from him, grabbing his hand and pulling him along with him.  "Let's go get some food before Uce and the rest devour it all!  Have you seen the other guys in this locker room, stuff doesn't last long around here!"

...

Dinner was a entertaining affair as by the time Dean and Seth made it there, Kevin had plopped himself down next to Sami, giving him a rundown of all of the things and people he hated, which seemed to be a never ending list.  His friend Chris Jericho had sat down next to him and spent the time glaring at Sami who he felt was taking much needed attention away from him.

Roman was engaged in conversation with Bo Dallas, who occasionally traveled with him and Dean.  Dean grinned at Seth when he saw him, giving him a nudge and whispering, "Bo's a riot.  He'll believe anything you tell him!"

Sure enough, Dean spent most of the rest of the meal winding Bo up, enjoying his naivety as Roman kept trying to get him to leave him alone.  Seth just sat back, taking it all in and chatting with Finn.

They were in the middle of talking about a new idea Finn had for the gym, when Finn suddenly trailed off, "There she finally is, the future Mrs. Balor!"

Without even looking over, Seth already knew that Bayley must have entered the room.  Finn had been crushing on her since the very first day she'd joined NXT and he'd been thrilled when she'd finally made it to the big time at WWE.

Laughing, Dean leaned across the table and took Seth's hands, "Am I to assume that the leprechaun over here has a thing for the locker room's own personal ray of sunshine?"

Seth grinned at him, "He's got a highlight reel of all of her promos and matches.  Sami keeps saying he's going to find another roommate because he can't deal with the constant loop of clips!"

Finn turned to both of them, "Call me a leprechaun again and I'm going to revoke my blessing of this relationship," he said gesturing towards them.  "Now make yourself useful Deano and introduce me!"

Dean hung his head dramatically, "Oh no, now who am I going to ask for your hand in marriage baby?" he whined, Seth collapsing into giggles next to him.

Dean was too busy enjoying himself to notice the punch coming his way, glaring at Finn as he held his arm, "No hurting the merchandise before a match!"  Dean turned around, seeing that Bayley had gotten a tray of food and was headed back their way, "Bayley, sweetheart, come pull up a seat!"

Bayley blinked at him, "Umm, okay," she moved towards the table, Finn immediately pushing Seth over so she could sit in between them.  She smiled at them, greeting Roman and Bo while ignoring Kevin and Chris.  "Not that I don't appreciate the invitation Dean, but what can I do for you?  We've never eaten together before."

Dean just smiled at her, "It's what I can do for you.  I thought you needed to make some new friends.  This here is my boyfriend Seth and that's Sami at the end of the table in the midst of some weird Owens seduction technique.  And this is Finn."

Bayley smiled at all of them, her smile widening as Finn took her hand, raising it to his lips as he kissed it and said, "Pleasure to meet ya.  I have to tell ya, ya brightened the whole place up just by entering the room!"

Bayley blushed, "Thanks!  And where are you from?"

As the pair began to chat, Seth kicked at Dean's legs underneath the table, throwing Dean a kiss when he looked at him and mouthing a thank you to him.

As Dean began to smirk at him, Seth knew he was in trouble and sure enough, Dean was suddenly rising, pulling him up from the table with him and excusing them, telling them they had something to take care of.

Back in the hallway, Dean drove Seth back up against yet another wall, this time taking his lips in a emphatic kiss that left no doubt on where his head was.

As Seth kissed back helplessly, Dean moved back, giving him another grin, "They're going to be in there for a bit and mine and Ro's room is sitting there completely empty. Think we could go put it to better use?"

Wordlessly, Seth just grabbed Dean's hand, hurriedly pulling him along behind him.

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

Dean was surprised by just how eager Seth was to get to his room.  He'd been thinking he'd have to spend a little more time persuading him to take the risk, but there he was jumping on the idea and running with it.

As soon as they'd entered the room and the door was shut and locked, Seth was the one driving him up against it and giving him a sensuous kiss as he slithered to his knees in front of him, "Gonna make you feel so good," he murmured up at Dean as his hand moved to the zipper on his jeans.

"Wait!" Dean reached down, pulling him up to his feet as Seth's face darkened and a hurt look appeared in his eyes.  Dean reached out stroking his face, "No baby, I'd love to feel you right now, but I had something else in mind if you're willing."

Seth pouted, "But I wanted to make you feel the way you made me feel this morning."

"Princess, I already told you that I wasn't expecting anything back, alright?  We're not keeping tabs here and I was just thinking that it might be nice if we could both get off together, what do you think?"

"So you want us to do it together?" Seth eyes roamed the room, trying to determine where they'd have enough room to stretch out and go down on one another.

Dean laughed, "We will definitely be doing that sometime soon, but again, not what I was thinking Princess!"

Seth glared back at him, "You're driving me crazy here babe!"

Smiling back at him, Dean pulled him into his arms, muttering into his hair, "I was thinking about how much I like holding you up against something and I was thinking it would be even nicer without any obstacles like clothes between us," Dean demonstrated as he pulled Seth even closer to him, turning him just right so their crotches brushed together.

Seth's eyes widened, "Oh!" he squeaked.  Taking a deep breath, he agreed, "That sounds good."

With a naughty grin, Dean turned them around, placing Seth's hands above him against the door, "Keep those there!"

Dean stepped back, quickly losing his clothes as he then moved to help Seth get rid of his, moving his arms around to take off his shirt before moving them back into position.  He pulled his pants and underwear down and off and then stepped back, just taking a minute to once again admire his boyfriend's form, "God, you are so damn gorgeous!"

Seth's whole body flushed red with the compliment, but his eyes stayed glued to Dean's as he responded, "Yeah, well you take my breath away so I think we're even!"

Dean's eyes twinkled back at him as he stepped forward, his body pressing against every inch of Seth's as he pressed a ravenous kiss to his lips before trailing down and nipping his chin and jaw, leaving little throbbing red marks behind.  As Dean began to kiss along his collarbone, Seth begged Dean to let him touch him as well. 

Unable to resist his pleading, Dean reached up, pulling his arms down and around his neck as Seth stretched his own backwards so Dean had more room to work with. 

Seth moaned as Dean's teeth sank into his neck column, gently biting him.  Ready to give as good as he was getting, Seth began to grope along every inch of skin that he could reach on Dean's body, drawing out his own delicious moans.

Dean jumped as Seth's nails grazed his thigh, reaching down he grabbed Seth's hand, running it over his own swelling cock before entertwining it with his own as he fisted both of their cocks together.  They both gasped as they brushed one another, their foreheads resting against one another as they both looked down entranced by the sight.

Dean could feel Seth getting bolder as they both confidently used their skilled hands to stroke in perfect alignment, leaving them both shivering with arousal.

Slowly, Dean let go, urging Seth to do the same, raising his arms back up to clutch him tighter, Seth copying him.  As soon as Dean felt back in control, he moved one of his arms to Seth's back and down below his ass, "Hold on Princess!"  He picked him up easily, Seth's legs wrapping tightly around him.

"Move D!" Seth cried out, his head banging back against the wall.

Breathlessly, Dean did just that, their trapped cocks gliding together deliciously as Dean drove upwards and Seth moved downwards.  They continued to frot against one another, panting heavily in the silent room as sweat began to drip off of both of their bodies.

Dean leaned forward so he could take Seth's throat again, continuing to work at the same spot, leaving a bright red hickey behind that loudly proclaimed him as his.

Seth growled, pulling Dean's head back up and begging him for a kiss, which Dean was happy to oblige him with.  They made out helplessly, Seth's excitement getting the better of him as he tore into Dean's bottom lip, blood welling up and dripping into his own mouth.

As the pair shared the taste, Dean shuddered against him as he unexpectedly exploded, cum pouring out in a steady stream, which set Seth off into his own climax, his cock pulsing against Dean's stomach.

Dean remained holding him up as Seth's body continued to convulse against him, "Fuck, so hot!"

Seth murmured in agreement as Dean finally brought him to his feet, Seth swaying unsteadily, but Dean's arms were there to keep him on solid ground, "You blow my mind D, it's never felt this good before!"

"Ditto Princess.  I'm not sure I'm going to make it through it when we finally decide to go all the way, but damn, what a way to go!"

Dean felt proud of himself as he heard Seth's giggles.  His heart ached pleasurably every time he could physically see that he was making him happy.

"Fuck!" Dean groaned.  "Ro should be back soon.  We need to get ready for our match, but we may have time for a quick shower, you up for it?"

Seth looked at him like he'd grown another head, "Was that a serious question?"

Dean rolled his eyes at him, "So that's a yes?"

"That's always a yes!"

Seth took off running as Dean chased after him, the pair disappearing into the shower with a laugh.

...

By the time they trailed back into the room, clothes firmly back in place, Roman, Finn and Sami were back. 

All three smirked at them knowingly, but they chose to ignore them.

Things moved at a whirlwind after that as Dean and Roman put on their Shield gear and Dean had Paul once again come to take Seth and his friends to their seats.

Taking their places in the front row, Seth swore to himself that he was going to do something special for Dean to pay him back for his hospitality.

The trio had a blast watching the show and Seth grinned as Dean came out for his solo match against Dolph Ziggler, Roman in his corner.

Although the match wasn't long, both Dean and Dolph put their all into it, causing a "This is awesome!" chant from the packed crowd.

Seth yelled himself hoarse as Dean planted a Dirty Deeds and a cover for the win.  Once again, Dean stopped in front of them, grabbing Seth's phone to snap a pic with all four of them.

Finn was excited as he finally got to see Bayley fight, having been off the previous show.  She picked up a quick win, coming down to the crowd to celebrate with some hugs.

After some hesitation, she came their way, high-fiving Seth and Sami as Finn pulled her in for a hug of his own, leaving them both flushed and grinning.

Later in the show, Dean was in Roman's corner as he took on Kevin Owens in a singles match.

Both Seth and Finn teased Sami as Kevin stopped in front of them on the way to the ring, brushing his hand along his cheek.  The action bringing a frown to Chris Jericho's face, who came along to be in his corner.

As the match went back and forth, the crowd booed as Jericho stepped in the ring to break things up, but cheered as Dean stepped in to chase him out. 

He caught him on the outside of the ring, driving him into the stairs, leaving him laying there as he went back to his ring apron.

He hit the side of the ring, amping up the crowd as Roman set Owens up for a spear.  As Roman powerbombed him and pinned him for the 1-2-3, Dean leapt into the ring to celebrate with him.

Grinning at the display, Seth's heart dropped as the lights suddenly went out.  Moments later, they came on showing Dean and Roman laid out in the ring, the Wyatt family surrounding them.

Dean and Bray had feuded for awhile before he'd mysteriously disappeared.  Apparently, this was his way of announcing his return, closing out the show.

Seth and his friends made their way back to the locker room, there as Dean and Roman shuffled in, Dean holding his arm.

"Fuck Bray always has to go after the arm!" he swore, popping it back into place with a grimace.

Seth moved behind him, his hands massaging his back and neck before running over his shoulder.  Dean's head dropped back to Seth's shoulder with a moan, drawing smirks from the other three.

"Uce, would you like us to leave you alone?" Roman laughed.

"Could you?" Dean asked sarcastically.

Seth laughed as he let go of Dean, "Actually, I need to get back and get some sleep.  Is it OK if we leave soon?"

"We?" Finn asked confused.

Seth grinned as Dean pulled him back into his sweaty arms, "Dean's going to spend the week with me."

Finn and Sami were surprised, but happy for their friend.

"That's awesome buddy!" Sami drawled.  "Told you didn't need to be all mopey!"

Seth blushed as he leaned over and shoved Sami, "Shut up!"

Dean dropped a kiss onto his head before pulling away to get cleaned up and dressed, Roman doing the same.

Ready to go, Dean told Roman to let him know when his flight landed, the pair sharing a hug and a fist pump.

He turned to shake hands with Finn and Sami before turning to give Seth a hug.  Pleasantly surprised, Seth gripped back as Roman whispered to him, "Take care of my boy."

Seth nodded, "I will," he whispered back.

Seth bumped fists with Finn and Sami as they made plans to meet at the gym midweek.  

Dean came forward, pulling the guys in for a half hug, Seth grinning at them.

Dean turned towards him, "Let's do this Princess!"

Sharing another chorus of goodbyes, Dean grabbed Seth's hand as they walked out to Seth's car.

"Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Of course, but would it surprise you that my favorite part of the day was our time alone?"

Dean winked at him, squeezing his hand, "I'd be disappointed if it wasn't!  Do you want me to drive back so you can get some rest?"

Seth smiled, "Really?"

"Why not?  Don't believe a thing Roman told you.  I'm very safe!"

Seth smirked at him, "Not sure I buy that, but okay, you can drive."

Dean threw his hands up in triumph, swinging himself into the driver's seat with satisfaction.

Content, Seth relaxed back into the passenger side, immediately closing his eyes as he ran through what he needed to do for work later that morning.

Dean took off before reaching over for Seth's hand, gently playing with his fingers, "Get some rest baby, I've got you."

 

 


	17. Chapter 17

It seemed like he had just closed his eyes, when suddenly Dean was shaking him, letting him know they'd arrived back at his house.  Sitting up and stretching a bit before exiting the car, Seth grinned as Dean immediately grabbed for his hand, almost like a reflex at this point.

Making their way inside, Dean nudged Seth's side, "I just realized that we do have one problem."

"What's that?" Seth asked worriedly.

"I'm not going to have any clothes.  I can wash what I have here, but it's mostly ring clothes.  I may have to borrow some of yours," Dean said with a wink.

Seth schooled his face into one of annoyance, "Well, if you have to!"  Letting his eyes roam down to Dean's ass, Seth continued, "Although, I think I do want to see you in some of my pants."

"I bet you do!" Dean leered at him.

Letting go of Dean's hand, Seth let them inside the house and grabbed Kevin's leash, who had immediately joined them at the door barking.

"Uh, uh Princess!  I'll take him out while you go get ready for bed.  I have nowhere to be in the morning," Dean insisted.

Seth gave him a silly grin, "I may have to keep you around!"

Dean laughed, "I'm counting on it!  Now, go get your ass into bed!" Dean emphasized his point by giving his butt a whack.

Seth glared at him, but began to head upstairs as Dean took Kevin out.  He washed up and brushed his teeth and stripped down to his boxers before crawling under his covers and setting his alarm, leaving the light on for Dean, who came in moments later whistling to himself, Kevin following along and jumping up on the bed.

"Kevin, you have a bed, go use it!" Seth yelled at him.

"Hey, leave our boy alone," Dean stated as he stripped his own shirt and jeans off before heading into the bathroom.

Seth rolled his eyes as Kevin made himself at home at the end of the bed, snuggling against Seth's feet.  Dean came out and turned off the light, sliding in next to Seth and pulling him into his arms.

Sighing happily, Seth let himself relax into him, "Thanks for today babe.  My friends had a great time and I really liked meeting your friends."

"You're welcome," Dean mumbled.  "I'm glad you and Ro are getting along now, but for the record, nothing he could have said or done would have made me change my mind about this."

Dean could feel Seth smiling against his shoulder as he said, "You're so amazing.  You can't be real!"

Dean rubbed his chin against Seth's head, "I keep thinking the same thing about you, but this is all very real.  There's something so right about all of this, I'm so afraid of losing it," Dean's voice dropped to a whisper.

Seth leaned up, giving him a gentle kiss, "You told me to stop worrying about making a mistake, so you need to do the same!  I like that we can be so upfront with one another, I've never had that with anyone else."

Dean nodded, "Me too.  We're still going to have that talk tomorrow, but right now it's time for you to get some rest.  Night baby," Dean returned his kiss.

"Night D." Seth snuggled back into him, quickly drifting off.

...

Seth moaned pitifully as his alarm rang out.  He wasn't ready to get up or leave the warm shelter of Dean's arms.  The thought of calling off again flitted through his head,  but he knew that was just a pipe dream.  He had a lot to do and he needed to be at his office to do it.

Reluctantly, sitting up, he had to grin as Dean tried to stop him, mumbling at him, "No, come back to bed!"

"I'd love to babe, but unfortunately that pesky thing called work is getting in my way.  Go back to sleep," he laid a kiss to the top of Dean's head.

Dean sat himself up, his hair sticking up all over and a sleepy expression on his face, "Actually, I was wondering how you would feel about me dropping you off at work.  I was thinking about hitting the gym and maybe doing some grocery shopping."

Seth was surprised, but not averse to the idea, "Yeah, I guess I should have thought about the fact that you'd be here all day with no way to get anywhere.  Might as well keep my car, maybe check out more of the city."

Dean grinned, "Yeah, I can scope out some more dates for us," he said with a wink.

Seth laughed as he said, "You know, I always get up a bit earlier than I actually need to which gives me a little wiggle room on time, care to join me in the shower?"

Dean jumped up, pulling Seth with him, "Let's do it!"

Giggling Seth teased him, "Oh, not so sleepy now are you?"

Dean gave his butt another whack, "Hop to it Princess!"

Poking one another, they headed to the bathroom.

...

Seth sat at his kitchen table, just watching Dean with a awed expression on his face.  They'd come downstairs after their shower and Dean had made him sit, determined to make him breakfast. 

Currently, Dean was flipping pancakes as he shuffled along to the music coming from Seth's small radio.  Seth could really get used to this, it was almost dangerous just how much he'd already come to depend on Dean's place in his life.

Seth smiled as Dean deposited the flapjakes onto their plates, creating smiley faces with the butter and syrup, "Voila!"

"Thanks babe," Seth reached out to rub Dean's hand with his own before turning to eat, impressed with how they melted in his mouth.  "Damn, these are really good!"

Dean rolled his eyes, "Don't need to sound so surprised," he mumbled around his own mouthful.  "I told you I could cook!"

"And you've more than proved it already.  I stand corrected!"

Dean winked at him, "There's more where this came from."

Seth winked back, "I'm counting on it!  Ugh, well I need to go get my papers together. I'll be ready to go in 10 to 15."

Dean nodded as he disappeared upstairs.  Dean continued to drum his fingers onto the table to the beat of the music when he noticed Seth's phone laying across from him.  With a smirk, he quickly picked it up.

After packing his briefcase, Seth made his way back downstairs, surprised to find Dean still at the kitchen table, phone in hand.  At first, he didn't think anything of it until he realized that he'd never seen Dean on his phone before.  As he focused in on it, he realized it was his, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Dean giggled, "Nothing, just going through your pictures from our weekend.  Some of these are pretty hot!" he turned the phone up at Seth, showing him one of their selfies from the mini golf course.

Seth's face softened, "Yeah, they are," he slid himself over to Dean, sitting down in his lap as he put his arm around his neck.

Dean kissed his throat as his arms tightened around him, holding him in place, "You'll have to let me know how many views you get."

"Huh?" Seth asked distractedly, nuzzling into Dean.

"I posted some more pics on your Instagram account and I want to see how many views you get," he stated calmly.

Seth jumped, pulling back to stare at him, "What?  Do you think that's wise?  I mean the one picture made sense, but a bunch of them is going to clearly tell everyone what's going on here."

Dean blinked up at him confused, "Is that a problem?"

Seth shook his head at him, "Everyone is going to realize we're dating!"

Dean shrugged, "Again, is that a problem?  We are dating, so what's the big deal?"

Seth continued to look at him in disbelief, "You really don't care?"

"Why should I?  I already told you that I don't give a fuck what people think. I don't live my life for them."

"But what if it effects your career or makes the fans turn on you?  I don't want to be the reason your life gets screwed up!"

Finally starting to realize the real problem, Dean let his voice drop down to a reassuring tone, pulling Seth back to him so he could rest his head against his, "Hey, I've never hidden the fact that I go both ways, alright?  The old man and his cronies all know and they may not love the idea or encourage me dating a man, but they've never held it against me and I wouldn't care if they did.  I've never hidden who I am and don't intend to start doing that now.  Can you handle that?  I don't mean to push you into something you're not ready for.  I guess I didn't even think of the fact that it's kind of shoving a spotlight on you," Dean was now the one sounding unsure of himself, making Seth feel guilty.

"No Dean!  I already told you that I'm willing to deal with that if it means we get to have this, but I just worry that it's somehow going to hurt you in the long run."

Dean leaned forward, giving him a kiss, "I keep telling you that that's not going to happen.  I'm not saying that this thing won't end somewhere down the line, but it won't be because we were out to the world, I can guarantee that!"

Feeling a bit better, Seth returned the kiss, the pair making out for a bit, before Seth reluctantly withdrew, "We better get going. Are you going to be okay to find your way around?  I do have GPS in the car.  Do you even have a smart phone?"

Dean wrinkled his nose at him, "Yeah, but I hardly ever use it.  Ro and Bo are always showing me how to do things on it that I'm never going to need to know.  It takes me long enough just to use the texting function!"

Seth smiled at him fondly, "Well you seem to be navigating mine just fine!"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "Maybe I just need the proper motivation," he leaned forward to steal one more kiss before pushing Seth up and off of him.

Seth grabbed his briefcase and the lunch he'd packed and they headed out the door, Seth grinning at how happy Dean was to get behind the wheel, "No speeding in my car!"

Dean held up his hands, "Who me?  Really, I keep telling you that Roman exaggerates."

"Uh huh, I believe you," Seth placated him.

Dean rolled his eyes back at him as they set out onto the road, Seth guiding him to his law office, which was only a few minutes away.  Dean pulled up out front, leaning over to take his lips in a gentle kiss, "So I'll pick you up at 6?"

Seth nodded as he slid out and waved goodbye, striding into the building with a pep in his step.  It was going to be hard to keep the smile off of his face and even harder to concentrate knowing that Dean was waiting at home for him.

Seth greeted some of his colleagues as he went along, some of them taken aback by his cheery demeanor.  They were used to his seriousness. Although he was well liked, there was always a bit of a wall between them.

Seth's good mood only lasted the length that it took to walk to his office, opening the door and being greeted by the one person he had no interest in seeing, "Patrick, why are you in my office?"

"I've been waiting for you sweetheart. I was just wondering if you could explain this!" he shoved his phone in Seth's face.  As Seth focused on the screen, his heart started pounding as he realized it was his Instagram page, a picture that Roman had taken of him and Dean hugging backstage at RAW on the screen.

He was really not ready to deal with this right now!

 


	18. Chapter 18

Seth closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  At least he was surrounded by all of his colleagues so he didn't have to worry about Patrick erupting into one of his angry episodes.  He would never lose it like that in public, especially since his father was in his office just down the hall.

Looking back up, he focused on the tall, dark-haired man pacing his office, "Again, why are you here?"

"Answer me Seth, what the hell is this?" he stuck the phone back in Seth's face.

"My Instagram page with pictures of my friends and I, something you are no longer so why don't you let yourself out and go find something better to do.  Shouldn't you be at your own job anyways?" Seth hissed back.

"I'm only working a half a day so I thought I'd come by to see you.  It's been awhile since we've talked sweetheart.  I figured maybe you'd finally calmed down and we could speak rationally again," Seth jumped as Patrick moved towards him, gripping his wrist.

Yanking it back, Seth glared at him, "I'm not your sweetheart and we have nothing to talk about.  Now get out of my office!"

Seth watched as a red flush came over Patrick's tanned complexion.  Seth shivered as he flashed back to memories of other times that he'd seen that same expression, all of them ending with him hurt and sobbing on the floor.

"I'm serious Patrick, get out or I'll call security and have you escorted out!"

"You don't have that authority Seth."

"Maybe not to get you out of the building, but at least my office.  I'm sure your father would love for you to drop in so please just leave!"

Laughing, Patrick reached out and ruffled Seth's hair, "Always such a drama queen sweetheart!" he moved to casually sprawl out on the leather couch in the corner of the office.  "Now, let's talk about these pics.  What the hell are you doing Seth?"

Seth ignored him, dumping his briefcase on his desk as he checked his phone for messages.  He hoped his silence would get him to leave quicker, but he knew that was just wishful thinking.

"I asked you a question Seth!  What the hell is going on with you and this "wrestler"?" he asked again, voicing dripping with sarcasm.

Before Seth could respond, there was a knock at the door, the office secretary Nancy sticking in her head, "Mr. Rollins, these were just delivered for you," she held out a vase filled with a variety of colored roses.

Seth turned to glare at Patrick, sure he'd sent them to try to butter him up.  Every time he'd done something to Seth in the past he would send him flowers as if the sight of them would make up for the hurt he'd caused, but this time he was glaring at the flowers as if he could make them disappear from existence.

Seth's heart skipped a beat as he turned back to Nancy, reaching out for the flowers and thanking her before carrying them to the desk and picking up the card.

_Princess, sometimes I have a hard time getting the words I want to say out.  I hope you know how much I appreciate you sticking around and trying this out with me and hopefully these will help explain just how much!_

Seth beamed down at them.  He knew that different colored roses meant different things, but he had no idea what they were.  Looked like he'd be doing some research on his lunch break.  He also vowed to find out just how Dean had come up with the idea.  The man was full of surprises. For someone who claimed to be bad at romance, he was doing a pretty great job at it.

Suddenly, Patrick was in front of him, ripping the card out of his hands.  Furious, Seth grabbed it back, showing a sign of strength that had been missing during their two year relationship, "Don't touch that!  I told you to get out!"

Patrick loomed over him, grabbing him by the wrist again and twisting it painfully, "And I told you I wanted a answer!  Stay the hell away from that guy!  Are things that bad for you sweetheart that you need to lower yourself to trying to pursue a relationship with gutter trash like that?"

Seth winced as he tried to pull out of his tight grip, "He's not gutter trash!  He's worth more than you could ever imagine and he's my boyfriend!" Seth shouted up at him.  "That's right, I finally found somebody worthy of my love!  Someone who doesn't treat me like their own punching bag, who doesn't make me feel less than what I am, who actually makes me happy!"

Snarling down at him, Patrick pushed him up against his desk, "I'm sick of this game of yours Seth.  We both know that you're lost without me, now just come home and we can forget about all of this!  I promise I won't hold it against you.  We're meant to be: it's what's right for us, for this company and for our families."

Seth struggled against him, "I don't give a fuck what the company or our families want!  I'm done Patrick, you killed whatever there was between us the day I woke up in that hospital.  I wish I'd had a thread of self respect before that, but better late than never, right?"

Patrick pulled back from him as another knock rang out.

Seth was still breathing heavy, but he managed to make his way around to his chair and collapsed into it, trying to look presentable, "Come in!"

He was pleased to see his boss standing there, knowing that Patrick wouldn't stick around now and sure enough, he quickly excused himself, greeting him on his way out pleasantly as if nothing had been taking place beforehand.

Turning to Seth, his boss addressed him, "Good to have you back Seth.  Everything alright here?"

Seth nodded, "Yes sir.  Just some unfinished business."

His boss clucked his tongue sympathetically, "Such a shame about you two.  Maybe somewhere down the line you two can find some common ground again.  Anyways, I wanted to see if you had that file for me."

Seth got him what he was looking for and handed over the files he'd gone through over the weekend, his boss pleased with his initiative, leaving him with more kudos.

The second he disappeared, Seth got up and locked his office door, turning and dropping back into his chair as he began to shake, the fear he'd been feeling finally hitting him.

Frantically, he picked up his phone debating with himself about calling Dean or whether he should just text Sami and Finn for their advice.

Although he knew it was probably a bad idea, his urge to hear Dean's voice won out and he quickly dialed before he could second guess himself.

_Princess!  I take it you got my gift?_

Hearing his voice, Seth let out a sob.

_Baby, you okay?  I didn't mean to make you cry!_

_N-n-no you, you didn't!  L-l-lo-love them.  I, I just need...make it go away Dean!_

Confused, Dean tried to make sense of what was going on.

_Princess, take a deep breath and talk to me._

Dean could hear him take a shuttering breath, his sniffles continuing to echo over the phone line.

_He was here waiting for me.  He was so angry Dean!  I promised myself I would never let him put his hands on me again, but I'm so weak!_

Instantly, things started to click for Dean, a swirling swell of anger welling up in his chest.

_Your ex was there?  He touched you?  Fuck, are you okay?  I'm at the gym, but I can be there in a few minutes!_

_No, no Dean, you can't come here!  I'm on the clock; I can't make a scene.  He's gone and my office is locked.  My boss saw him here so he won't try anything and if he does try to come back I'll just call his father.  He's one of the lawyers here._

Dean closed his eyes, his fist shooting out into the punching bag he'd been working on.

_Okay, shh it's okay baby, I won't come there, alright?  But if he comes back, you call me right away and then you're going to call the police.    And Seth, you didn't do anything wrong!_

_I let him get control again.  It's all my fault._

_No, it's that asshole's fault.  You didn't invite any of this.  Did he hurt you?_

Dean winced at how tiny Seth's voice was as he answered.

_My wrist hurts and I'm sure I'm going to have a bruise on my back from where he pushed me against my desk, but I'm okay.  It's nothing I haven't dealt with before._

Fuck! Dean hit the bag again.

_What time is your lunch break?_

_12:30._

_Alright, can you leave the building?_

_Yeah, why?_

_Meet me out front and we'll eat together.  I'll pick us up something and you can save that bag you packed for tomorrow.  Sound good?_

_You, you don't have to do that Dean._

_Seth, if you won't let me come there now, then you have to let me at lunch.  I need to see for myself that you're okay.  Besides, I was thinking about surprising you for lunch sometime this week anyways.  Consider this our third date._

Already feeling reassured by his voice, Seth let out a giggle.

_Technically, wouldn't this be our fifth date if we included the shows?_

_Well if we're saying that, then we might as well call it our sixth after our gym date._

_Yeah?  That sounds pretty good actually.  I have this six-date rule when it comes to sex._

_Princess, I hate to break it to you, but that ship kind of sailed our second night together!_

Dean smiled as he got Seth to laugh some more.

_True, but I guess it depends on your definition of sex.  I mean we've warmed up, but we haven't gotten to the main event._

_I do appreciate a good climax!_

_Ugh, that was awful babe!_

_You know you love it!_

_Yeah, yeah I do.  Dean, I love the flowers, thank you._

_Have you figured out what they mean yet?_

_No, I was actually planning on doing some research at lunch._

_Well in that case, just come to lunch with me and I'll whisper the meanings in your ear._

_Damn, can't resist a invitation like that!  Alright, I'll meet you in front at 12:30._

_See you then Princess.  I'm right here if you need to talk before then.  Just call or text, whatever you need._

_Thanks Dean, I already feel better._

_I'm glad Seth.  See you soon._

Hanging up, Dean went in search of Seth's friend Matthew.  Neither Finn or Sami were at the gym this morning, but maybe the gym owner could tell him a bit more about this Patrick!

Back in his office, Seth had a silly grin as he set down his phone.  Just a few minutes of Dean's voice was enough to drive away all of the dark thoughts swirling in his head.  Maybe he'd actually be able to get some work done now.

...

Seth locked up his office before he headed down to meet Dean.  He didn't want anymore surprise visitors.

He smiled as he saw his car sitting out front, hurrying to get inside as Dean leaned across the seats to give him a hello kiss.

Seth slid in, sighing appreciatively as he smelled the pasta piled in the backseat.

"You got us Marcos?" he squealed happily.

Dean nodded, "Thought you deserved a treat after such a rough morning."

"Thanks babe, but where are we going to eat?"

"I was thinking we could go to the park?  How long do you have?"

"An hour and that sounds like a great idea," Seth reached over to grip Dean's hand, trying to hide his gasp as he moved his wrist.

Eyes glued to Seth, Dean didn't miss a thing, picking up their joined hands to inspect the damage.

He frowned as he saw the bruises on both sides of it, "If he ever touches you again I'll kill him," he vowed.

Seth frowned at him, "No Dean, I don't want you to get involved!  I won't let him take you too."

Seeing how distressed he was, Dean calmed down, "I already told you I'm not going anywhere.  I promise I won't do anything stupid, but I won't let him hurt you anymore!"

Seth sighed, "Please just stay away from him."

Dean let the subject drop temporarily as he leaned back and pulled out, headed to the park.

Seth relaxed back into the seat, his heart still racing.  He made a promise to himself to never let Patrick anywhere near Dean.

...

The pair ended up on one of the park benches, chowing down on their lunch-sized portions of Seth's favorite spaghetti.

As they finished up, Dean jumped up and tossed their containers, looking at his phone to see that Seth still had a half hour left.

He rejoined him on the bench, grabbing his hand and pulling him into his arms.  As they rested against one another, watching a number of joggers run by, Dean began to talk.

"My dealer used to run drugs out of a fronted flower shop.  The shop made a ton of legitimate money and hardly anyone would have suspected what was going on behind the curtain.  The owner's daughter Lily was a sweet little thing.  Innocent and pretty, the girl next door, you know?  She had no idea what her father was really up to and no idea that this guy bringing deliveries to them every week was a hard up junkie, desperate for his next fix.  For some reason, she saw something in me that no one else did or ever had.  She had no business getting mixed up with me, but I couldn't stay away.  I spent more time in that shop than I did in my own home and I even got a side job working there for awhile.  Lily loved to tell me about all the meanings behind the flowers and when everything else fell apart, that stuck with me."

Seth nuzzled his neck as he whispered, "What happened?"

"Her dad finally figured out what was going on and forbid me to see her.  When that didn't work, he had my dealer beat me up and withhold my fix.  Her dad made sure that she saw me in the throws of withdrawal.  She slapped me, told me I was disgusting and that she never wanted to see me again."

"She still didn't know her dad was the one providing the drugs in the first place?"

Dean shook his head, "When I finally got clean, I tried contacting her.  I just needed to prove something to myself, but she refused to talk to me or see me."

"Her loss then.  You were sick and she turned her back on you."

"I tricked her.  I let my demons ruin our relationship."

"You had a addiction babe and you fought and won.  If she really cared about you, she should have been by your side," Seth stated.

Dean didn't look convinced, but he thanked him anyways, moving his lips up to his ear, "My time in the shop did leave me with one thing: ready to hear about those flowers now?"

Seth shivered as Dean's voice deepened, "Yes."

"The white is our new start together.  The yellow is for friendship and the joy you are bringing me everyday.  The orange is for the passion that seems to come naturally between us.  The pink is a symbol of my gratitude for the chance you are giving us.  The red is for the romance to come and the green is the continued growth of this relationship," Dean pressed a kiss just below his ear.

Seth looked up at him, "And the lavender?"

Dean's eyes dropped, his heart beginning to race.  He whispered something that Seth couldn't quite catch.

"What was that babe?"

Taking a deep breath, Dean spoke a little louder, "Lavender symbolizes love at first sight."

His eyes closed in the dead silence that followed his declaration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	19. Chapter 19

The words were replaying in Seth's head and he was frozen as time ticked on.  He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to see what his actions were doing to Dean.

It wasn't until Dean was rising to his feet with a choked, "We better get you back to work," that he was able to focus on him and see how withdrawn he was.  He'd put up a wall and his steely stare was unsettling.

Not even realizing he was doing it, Seth was up and throwing himself into his arms, clinging to him as he tried to bring back the Dean he was used to, "Do you mean it?  You really have those feelings for me?"

Dean struggled vainly against him, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't.  Come on, let's go," he said gruffly.

Seth shook his head, "Not until you listen to me," he gripped onto him tighter.  "I said something to Patrick today and it didn't even really register with me until now.  He saw the Instagram pictures and he was furious.  He was saying this stuff about you and I just flipped.  I told him you were my boyfriend and that I'd finally found someone worthy of my love."

Dean stilled against him, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I have feelings for you, strong ones.  I never really believed in the whole love at first sight concept, but I don't know how else to explain this.  I mean I had a crush on you for years, but that was admiration for your work.  In that parking lot and later that night when you texted me, I started to see the real you and I was hooked," Seth shared shyly, hiding his face in Dean's shoulder.

Dean's voice softened as he wound his hand into Seth's hair, "So we're out there on that ledge together?"

"Looks like it," Seth mumbled.

Dean gave his hair a gentle pull, just enough to make his head rise and he could capture his lips, putting all of the things he couldn't quite say into it.

Seth took everything he had to offer and repaid it ten fold, his mouth opening and allowing their tongues to tangle.

They quickly forgot about the time and where they were, but focused back in as a jogger flew by them, tearing them apart.

Breathing heavily, they stared at one another, Seth's lips red and swollen.

"Fuck!" Dean wiped his hand over his face.  "If we don't go now Princess I'm not going to be able to let you go back!"

Seth blushed, "How am I supposed to concentrate now?"

Dean laughed, holding out his hand to take his as they walked back to the car.

...

Seth wasn't lying when he'd said his concentration was shot. 

It had been a roller coaster of a day and he just wanted to go home and snuggle on his couch with Dean and his dog.  Instead, he slogged his way through more files and met with a couple of clients.

He tried his best to keep his mind on work, but his thoughts kept slipping to Dean's words, his eyes drifting towards his flowers over and over again.

Once things were quiet, he found himself snapping a pic of the arrangement, posting it to Instagram with the words #bestgiftever and #myboyfriendrocks. 

He blushed as he looked at the post.  He'd never been comfortable with being that open about things, but if Dean was willing to take that chance on him then he needed to step outside of his comfort zone.

Finally, the clock was striking 6 and he was up and out of his chair, shoving stuff into his briefcase without even checking it.

He flew to the elevator, trying to avoid any last minute requests from his boss.  Once out the front door, he relaxed, striding towards his car and Dean.

He was met with the beaming face of his boyfriend, his hand already stretched out to take his.

He slid inside and leaned over for a kiss. "That was the longest day of my life!"

Dean laughed, "After shopping and unloading, I spent the last few hours watching the clock.  You need a shorter workday!"

Dean headed out onto the road, making the quick trip back to Seth's place.

They were just stepping in the house when Seth found himself being spun around and pushed up against the door.

Dean leered at him, "I think it's time to get you out of this suit!" he shared suggestively.

Seth pushed against him, both moaning as their dicks brushed, both showing the first signs of interest.

Seth's head dropped back against the door with a bang, "Fuck, been thinking about this all day!"

Dean grinned at him, "You know, I think we successfully completed date number six."

Seth grinned back, "That we did.  Maybe it's time we took this to the next level."

Dean pushed against him, drawing moans from both of them.

Grasping for all of the self control he could muster, Seth pushed him back, "Let's eat first," he gasped.

Dean nodded, "I ordered us pizza.  I'll cook dinner for you tomorrow."

Seth smiled, "Sounds perfect."

...

The pair ate and took Kevin for a walk together, before locking up and heading upstairs.  Once the bedroom door was closed, Seth turned to Dean, surprised to see him frowning.

"Hey," he grabbed his hand.  "What's wrong?"

"I should have thought about doing something for you, you know candles and music and all that romance shit.  I mean, you deserve that right and I should have thought about that ahead of time."

Seth giggles at him, "I don't need all of that babe, but I appreciate the sentiment.  I think one over-the-top romantic gesture will suffice.  Besides, give me a few minutes and we can set the mood," Seth pushed him over to the edge of the bed and had him set down. 

Dean watched as Seth reached over into his side table and pulled out a couple of candles, lighting them and then turning on the radio by his bed, finding a quiet R&B channel.  Turning back to Dean with a grin, he said, "One more thing I think we need to do!"

Dean was confused as Seth walked off into the bathroom, but once he heard water running, he figured Seth was looking for them to share another shower.  It wasn't long before Seth was calling his name and Dean quickly made his way over.  He laughed as he walked through the doorway and found his boyfriend already naked next to a full bathtub filled with bubbles, steam rising around him.

Seth shrugged, "I thought maybe this would be a good way to put us in the mood and relax us a bit."

Dean pulled him to him, "It's a great idea Princess.  Now how about you help me get out of these clothes?"

Seth was happy to oblige, running his hands under Dean's shirt and across his chest, before drawing his shirt up and over his head.  He grabbed onto his belt buckle, pulling him closer to the tub before pulling it out and off and unzipping his jeans.  Dean stepped out of them and quickly lost his underwear as Seth stepped back into the tub and drew Dean in with him. 

Dean moved until he was sitting back against one end and pulled Seth down between his legs, his back leaning against him as he put his arms around him.  "Feels nice," he muttered as Seth murmured in agreement.

They sat there in silence for a bit before Seth turned around and leaned up for a kiss, which kicked off a intense makeout session that found Seth straddling Dean's lap as he struggled to get even closer to him.

As they stopped to catch their breath, Dean found himself killing the mood as he pulled Seth's head to his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "We need to talk!"

 

 

 

 

 


	20. Chapter 20

"Talk, you want to talk?  Now?!" Seth stared at Dean incredulously.

Dean frowned at him, "Yeah, I don't think I can do this without telling you what I did.  We promised to be open about things and I know how I feel when people pry into my life."

Seth tried to make sense of his words, "Dean, just spit it out already!" Seth scrambled away from him, sitting flat as he waited for him to respond.

Dean took a deep breath, "This morning, I was so mad and worried about you.  I wanted to come and check on you, but you wouldn't let me so I decided I needed more information.  I tracked down your friend Matthew and I had him tell me more about Patrick.  He told me some things that probably weren't his place to tell and I've been feeling guilty as hell ever since."

Seth was stricken, "What kinds of things?"

"I know what happened the night you ended up in the hospital and he told me how he isolated you from all of your friends.  I know that you two were pushed together by your fathers and that now everyone looks at you like you're the one who screwed everything up.  That actually explains a lot." Dean said the last part almost to himself.

Unnerved, Seth stood up determined to get away from Dean, afraid to look him in the eyes.  Before he could get his legs over the tub, Dean was clinging to them, pleading with him, "Princess, no, please don't go!  I'm sorry, alright?  It wasn't my place to ask about things you weren't ready to share with me.  I know, I know how I'd feel if it was someone telling you about my past.  Can you please just look at me?"

Trembling, Seth remained turned away from him, but as Dean's gasping breaths filled the air, he found himself looking at him worriedly, "Dean, what's wrong?"

Dean was hunched over, his hands tangled in his hair as he covered his ears.  Leaning back down in front of him, Seth could see that he was struggling for air, "Dean, breath with me, alright?" Seth tentatively took his hands in his own, unsure about what to do.  "Do you want me to call a doctor?" he began to stand up.

"N-n-no!" Dean's head snapped up, his intense eyes locking onto Seth's.  "No doctors!"

"Okay shh, no doctors, I promise, but I need to know how to help you," Seth sat back down.

"P-p-p-panic attack," Dean stuttered.  "Just, j-j-j-just need to b-b-b-breathe."

"Alright, okay, we can do this.  Can you look at me babe?" Seth asked.

Dean tried to focus in on Seth, determined to ignore the voices taunting him. 

"Good, good, okay can you take a deep breath with me?  In and out, yeah that's it.  Everything's alright, you hear me?  I'm not going anywhere and I'm not mad at you," Seth tried to reassure him, pleased when his breathing seemed to get less severe.  He slowly reached out for his hands, tangling them together with his own and giving them a squeeze.  "I'm right here, Dean, just keep taking those deep breaths with me."

They sat there clutching onto one another as Dean's breathing finally began to regulate itself.  Seth could see the wildness in his eyes beginning to fade as well.

Seth stood up, keeping a hold of Dean so he knew he wasn't going anywhere.  He stepped to his side as he murmured, "Sit up a bit babe," Seth slid in behind Dean into the space he'd made, this time resting against the tub and drawing Dean back into his arms, both of them shivering as the water had begun to cool down, "D, can you let out some of the water and get some more warmth back in here?"

For a moment, there was just silence and Seth figured Dean was still caught up in his head, but then he was moving out of his arms and letting the plug out.  They continued to wait in the quiet as the water level dropped before Dean turned back on the faucets, filling it back up with the hot water.

Satisfied, he slid backwards where Seth's arms were waiting for him, both of them sighing as he rested his head against Seth's chest.  Seth slid his hand through his hair, brushing it back out of his eyes, "Do you get those often?"

Dean's voice was ragged as he replied, "Not that much anymore, but I used to get them all of the time when I was a kid. Some are worse than others, but I've gotten better about heading them off."

"What sets them off?"

"Stress, fear, anytime my emotions are going haywire really.  I had one in the ring once, but luckily Ro was right there and figured it out.  He was able to get me out of there before anyone noticed."

"I'm sorry," Seth hid his face in his hair.

"Not your fault I'm so screwed up Princess!"

"You're not screwed up Dean, at least not anymore than I am!  I'm sorry I didn't know what to do."

"How could you and you did a pretty good job.  Roman's the only other person who has ever been able to pull me out of one that quickly," Dean said with awe.

"Then I'm grateful for that, but can I ask you something?"

Dean tensed up, but answered, "Go for it."

"You were covering your ears like you were trying to block something out, were you hearing something?"

Figuring he'd already screwed things up anyway, Dean decided to answer honestly, "I hear voices sometimes; my very own personal demons I guess."

"What do they say?"

"They tell me how worthless I am; how I screw everything up.  They taunt me until I throw away all the good things in my life.  Well, everything and everyone but Roman.  That fucker refuses to leave my side no matter how many times I lash out at him.  Now that you know just what kind of a loser you've been hooking up with, I guess the only thing to do is to say goodbye.  You don't need to be dealing with all of my issues.  Thank you for trying with me.  You'll never know how much the last few days have meant to me."

The tables turned as it was now Dean struggling to his feet, determined to get away and Seth reaching out for him, "Dean wait, get back here!"

Hesitating, Dean peered down at him, "You want me to stay?"

"Yes!  Come here," Seth held his arms out to him, Dean quickly scrambling back down and into them.  "I appreciate that you want to save me from your "demons", but I don't want to be saved.  You've been putting up with mine, so why would you think I wouldn't do the same for you?  I thought I'd made it clear earlier, but I guess not.  I love you Dean, I know it's too soon and a little crazy, but I do.  I'm not going anywhere and I hope you aren't either."

Dean stared up at him with shock, not prepared for his straight-forwardness, "I, I um..." he began to stutter, but Seth cut him off.

"You don't need to say anything you're not ready to Dean.  You showed me today and since we met just how you feel.  I don't need to hear the words to believe them."

Dean's whole body relaxed, "I want to, I really do, but the few times I have, it's always backfired on me. It absolutely terrifies me."

"I get it, I really do.  Can you promise me something?"

Dean peered up at him, "Anything."

"Can you promise to tell me next time you hear the voices?  Can you give me a chance to put them to rest before you freak out?"

"I can promise to try.  It's hard, really hard to block them out.  Could you answer a question for me?"

"Anything," Seth replied, smiling at him.

"Why didn't you have him arrested then?"

Seth's eyes closed as he hung his head, making Dean shrink away from him again, mumbling, "Sorry, you don't have to answer that!"

Seth took a moment to get himself together before opening his eyes and locking with Dean's, "My friends all wanted me to.  They never liked him and he never liked them.  He thought they were beneath me, too immature or whatever.  He dismissed them, never wanted to spend anytime with them.  After awhile, I started to be ashamed of them," Seth gave a pitiful laugh.  "The first time he hit me, I ran into them at the gym and tried to cover up what had happened.  I believed him when he said that he'd never do it again; believed him when he said I'd drove him to it.  Even though I was a complete asshole to them, they kept watching out for me, kept begging me to leave him."

"But you didn't?"

"No, I kept making excuses.  He had isolated me so that he was the only person I believed truly cared about me.  What a joke, right?  I tried talking to my father one night about the violence, but he thought I was exaggerating.  He told me that I needed to stop antagonizing him, that it was time I grew up and settled down," Seth's eyes widened as Dean let out a growl, clenching his fists.  "I um, knew things were getting worse, but at that point, I didn't see any way out.  It wasn't until I opened my eyes in the hospital and my friends were surrounding me that I had the strength to do what I should have done from the beginning!" tears leaked out of Seth's eyes, staining his cheeks.

Dean reached out and wiped them away, "But you didn't call the police?"

Seth shook his head, his voice getting quieter, "No, I refused to press charges.  His father came to me and begged me not to and my family wanted to save face so they asked me not to as well.  It would have made things awkward between my dad and one of his oldest friends and I was already working with his dad at the firm and it would have been bad press.  He showed up at the hospital and I had security throw him out.  My friends packed up all of my stuff for me and took it to Finn's apartment.  I stayed with him for awhile when I got out of the hospital and then looked for my own place.  That's when I got Kevin.  I didn't like the quiet."

Dean nodded, "I'm glad you had people there for you and it seems like Kevin was meant to be with you," Dean scooted closer to him, leaning his forehead against his, "You know that none of it was ever your fault?  He waited until your guard was down, until you were nicely settled in what you thought was the perfect relationship and then he ripped it out from under you.  He used your trust against you so he could control you."

"He did.  I let him take everything away from me and I came back for more.  I let it happen.  Why are you still here?  Why haven't you left me too?" Seth's voice rose as he pounded his fists into Dean's chest.

Dean grabbed them, holding them above his heart, "For the same reason you haven't run from me!  Fuck, I feel it Seth!  I feel it so strongly and I want to rip this guy's intestines right out of his mouth for ever having touched you!  I want to kick your dad's ass for letting you stay in that situation!  You didn't deserve any of it!  He could have fucking killed you, but you survived!  You survived and you made a life for yourself; you won baby, you won!" Dean's words hit Seth square in his chest, causing him to let go of his control as he began to sob.

Dean pulled him forward, wrapping him up tightly as his own tears began to fall, "I don't deserve you either, but I'm damn sure going to do everything I can to earn it!"

Seth whimpered, pushing Dean back so his legs were sprawled out and Seth could climb closer into his lap, "You already have!  You know what?  He's not worth it!  He's not worth wasting time on; not worth coming between this.  Neither is anything in your past, for that matter.  I don't care about how we got here, I'm just glad we are."

"Me too," Dean whispered in his ear.  "I'm still sorry about going behind your back."

"I don't like that Matthew told you this stuff, but I'm not mad at you Dean.  I probably would have done the same thing if it was in reverse and maybe it's a good thing.  I think we needed to talk about all of this before this went any further.  Maybe now that the air is clear between us, we can both relax a little more.  I'm tired of being afraid of losing this every minute of the day!"

"Shh, me too Princess.  Come on, let's get out of here."

Dean drew him up and out of the tub, letting the water down and toweling both of them off before leading him to his bed, blowing out the candles on his way and turning off the radio before curling up with one another.

"I'm sorry I killed the mood," Dean ran his hand through Seth's hair, which was sprawled across his chest.

"S'okay.  I kind of just need to cuddle with you right now.  I don't want him to be the reason for our first time anyways.  Maybe we can wait till Friday and we can have the whole night to ourselves.  I did promise to give you the whole weekend," Seth traced circles through the hair on Dean's chest.

Dean's lips skirted his forehead, "I like that idea.  How would you feel about going away for the weekend?  We can take Kevin with us."

Seth grinned, his joy evident in his voice, "Where would we go," he pressed his own kiss to Dean's collar bone.

"Up to you, we can stay around here or drive somewhere further or we can fly somewhere."

"I don't think I want to go too far with Kev, but you said you like to hike, right?"

"I do," Dean pulled him up so he could latch his lips to his throat.

"Then I think I have the perfect place in Moline, Kevin can come with us!"

Dean grinned at his excitement, "Let's do it then!  Now, it's still a little early, but it's been a pretty emotional day.  I could use some sleep, how about you?"

Seth nodded, curling back down into him, "You feel so good!"

"Ditto baby!" Dean closed his eyes, his arms tightening around him.  They'd jumped off that cliff together and they hadn't smashed to pieces.  Maybe, just maybe, this time he would be able to hold onto the best thing that had ever happened to him.

 

 

 


	21. Chapter 21

Seth found himself waking up before his alarm and he quietly pulled himself away from Dean. 

He threw on some sweats and took Kevin for a walk before grabbing his keys and driving to the local donut shop to pick up some donuts and coffee.

He brought his purchases up to his room, happy to see Dean hadn't moved.  He crawled back in next to him, sitting the food and drink containers in between them.

Sure enough, the smell of coffee roused his boyfriend from his sleep.  He rolled over, opening one eyelid and moaning, "Dammit, you brought sustenance!  Now I've got to get up."

Seth giggled, "I went forth into the wilderness: it's the least you could do."

Grumbling, Dean sat up, his hair sticking up in spikes as he grabbed a coffee and chugged half of it down.

Seth snorted, "You're going to be so wired!"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "I thought I'd do a little exploring today.  Maybe bring Kev with me."

"Cool," Seth said as he ate his donut.  "I'm gonna try to leave at 5 today.  Even with everything yesterday, I'm caught up."

"Sounds good to me.  I can get dinner going before I go get you."

As the pair finished their breakfast, Seth set the containers on his side table as he reached out for Dean, who looked at his coffee mournfully before setting it down and moving into Seth's arms.

Seth laughed, "I feel special!"

"You should: my coffee and I have a very strong relationship."

They lay there, just soaking in the quiet, content to just cuddle until Seth had to get dressed.

Dean followed him into the bathroom, using the toilet without shame and leering at Seth as he changed.

Seth felt a sense of joy bubbling up as they moved around one another, brushing their teeth.  He could get used to simple things like this together.  He and Dean were already a great team.

They stuck to simple topics on the drive there, but as they pulled up in front of Seth's office, Dean had to ask, "Do you think he'll be back?"

Seth shook his head, "He works during the day usually so I don't think so."

Dean squeezed his hand, "Promise me you'll be careful."

Seth agreed, leaning over for his goodbye kiss, "Love you," he murmured.

Dean stroked his face, "Same here," before letting him go.  Dean watched him stride into the building before slipping back into traffic.

...

As Dean headed back to Seth's place, he noticed a car seemed to be following him.  Sighing, he prepared to have to deal with either a overzealous fan or a reporter looking to make a buck.

Pulling into the drive, he saw the other car pull up behind him, a dark-haired tall male getting out.

"Can I help you?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, you can stay the hell away from my fiance!" as the guy strode closer, Dean could see the fury on his face.

"I think you have the wrong guy, man!" Dean held his hands up placatingly.

The guy got right up in Dean's face, "Wrong asshole!  You have no idea what you've stepped into here, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt.  Walk away now and no one will be hurt!"

A lightbulb went on in Dean's head as he casually leaned back, "Patrick I presume?" he asked drily.

His calm exterior only served to work the man into a larger fury, "I'm only going to say it once more: stay away from Seth!  He's mine," he growled.

"First of all, Seth isn't a piece of property.  Second, who the hell do you think you are showing up at Seth's home uninvited throwing down ultimatums?  You and Seth are over, have been for awhile.  Seth wised up and figured out what a controlling bastard you are so deal with it!" Dean stood toe to toe with him.  "You're lucky you're not in jail right now, but I'm not Seth, I have no loyalty to anyone here so I won't hesitate to charge you with trespassing, stalking and harassment.  Get out of my sight and don't you dare show up anywhere Seth is!"

"You don't know who you're messing with!"

Dean's eyes flashed at him, "I know exactly who I'm dealing with!  I've dealt with bigger and badder bullies than you and always came out on the winning side.  Don't push me!"

Patrick's fists clenched, but he turned around and got back into his car and took off.

Dean shook his head, he'd left the world of anger and violence for the sake of violence a long time ago, but he would do whatever he had to to keep Seth safe!

 


	22. Chapter 22

Seth's day was going pretty well: one of his later clients had cancelled and he was all caught up on his work shortly after lunch.

Looking at the time, he grinned and reached for his phone, lighting up when Dean quickly answered.

_Hey Princess, everything okay?_

_Yeah, actually things are going really well here.  Looks like I'm going to be able to sneak out of here at 4 if you can swing by and get me._

_I think I can work it into my busy schedule!  Kev and I are just rolling around right now.  I took him for a walk at the dog park and now we're just driving around, soaking up this spring weather._

_Wish I was with you guys.  Went outside for lunch and it was so nice out!_

_Do you do a lot of barbecuing?  I can pick up something before I come get you and we can throw it on the grill.  You do have one right?_

_No D, what's a barbecue?_

_Haha, just for that, I'm not going to give you your present!_

_D, you know you don't need to get me anything.  All I want is to spend some time with you._

_I know, but I saw it and it said you to me.  So, I'll see you in a couple of hours?_

_I'll be waiting!  Love you._

_Me too, bye!_

Stretching, Seth got back to work.  He looked up as his boss opened his door, looking in, "Seth, do you have a minute?"

"Of course Mr. Meyers, what can I do for you," Seth had a sinking feeling in his chest, sure his plans with Dean were about to be screwed over.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something that has come to my attention.  You know I'm not one to interfere in personal lives, but I need to ask you about your new relationship.  Is it true that you're dating a wrestler?" Seth's stomach dropped out registering his stern tone.

"I, um, yes I am," Seth answered uneasily.  "Why?"

"I'm worried about these pictures.  This kind of press isn't exactly what we're looking for here."

Seth stared at him in confusion, "What are you talking about sir?"

His boss walked over to his computer, turning it towards him as he typed.  He turned it back around to Seth, "I'm talking about this."

Seth squirmed as he looked at the TMZ article featuring some of the photos from his Instagram. 

Skimming the article, it was claiming that Dean was having a sordid gay affair behind his girlfriend Renee's back.  She was quoted as being extremely hurt that Dean would push her aside as he had.

Seth felt anger rising in him as he read the info the site had gleaned on him, which claimed he was also cheating on his long time fiance.  Seeing the words made things click for him: Patrick had decided to hurt him in a different way this time.

Seth shook his head, "This isn't right.  Dean doesn't have a girlfriend.  Someone fed this site false information to hurt us."

His boss looked at him with sympathy, "I'm sorry if you were fooled Seth, these things can happen to anyone.  You've had a rough year and it seems this guy took advantage of that."

"No!  The only one taking advantage of us is my ex who is determined to ruin everything in my life.  How did you hear about this article Mr. Meyer?"

"A colleague brought it to my attention."

Seth nodded, "Patrick's father, I presume?  He knew because Patrick is the one who set it up!"

"Seth, watch yourself here, you don't want to throw out unfounded accusations!"

"He was in my office yesterday threatening me.  I know he did this and I won't let him destroy the best thing in my life!"

"Even if you're right Seth, that doesn't take away the damage already caused.  I'm going to need you to release a statement denying this relationship and moving forward if you insist on associating with this person, you're going to need to be more discreet.  Are we clear?" his boss' tone left no room for argument.

Overwhelmed, Seth meekly responded, "Yes sir."

As soon as his boss was gone, Seth locked the door and collapsed on his couch, empty inside.  How the hell was he supposed to deal with this?

Taking a deep breath, he called Dean, who teased him about not being able to go an hour without talking to him again.

Seth tried to get the words out to tell Dean what was going on, but he froze at Dean's cheerful tone.  Maybe it wouldn't hurt to wait, why ruin their evening?  He could tell him tomorrow.

Instead, Seth made some suggestions for their barbecue before hanging up.  His bad news could wait!

...

Dean had debated whether to tell Seth about his confrontation with Patrick, but he didn't want to bother him at work.  Then Seth had called him, but he had seemed so happy about being able to sneak out of work earlier that Dean hadn't had the heart to sour the mood.

He figured they could have a nice evening together and he could tell him about his ex's visit tomorrow.  Besides, that will give him a little more time to think about how they could get rid of Patrick permanently.

After his visit to the park with Kevin and their city drive, which included a stop at the store that captured his attention and vetted him a little gift for Seth, Dean took him back home before heading out to the grocery store to pick up some steaks for the grill and the other things Seth had asked for. 

Back at Seth's, he unpacked everything and then grabbed a beer and took Kevin outside, letting him run around the backyard as he took some time to gather his thoughts.

...

Seth took a deep breath before walking through the doors to head out to his car.  He was determined to enjoy his evening before he was forced to make a tough decision.

In spite of his inner turmoil, Seth found a smile working itself to his face as he slid in and saw Dean beaming back at him, "Hey babe!" Seth leaned over for a fiery kiss, putting all of his passion and love into it, pleased when Dean returned the sentiment.

Sitting back and grasping his hand, Seth watched the scenery fly by on the short trip home, trying vainly to stay in the moment, rather than worrying about things he couldn't fix at that moment.

Once inside the house, Seth went upstairs to change into something more laid back before joining Dean in the yard, where he'd already set up the grill and Kevin was having a ball sunbathing.

Seth smiled as he saw that Dean had gotten everything on his list and had picked out some delicious looking steaks.  Excusing himself for a minute, Seth went inside to turn on his stereo and then grabbed the controller for his outdoor Bluetooth speaker. 

Dean looked up as he returned, nodding in approval as the music began playing.  Sitting down in one of his recliners, Seth watched Dean hum and dance along as he got the fire going like a expert. 

"So am I to assume that barbecuing is one of those many hidden talents you have as well?" he asked.

Dean held up his fingers, pretending to fire them at him as if he was holding a pair of guns, "Bullseye!  I'd do it all the time if I wasn't on the road so much.  Ro and I have a little portable grill we take around with us and when we can we try to throw some burgers or dogs or whatever on.  Sometimes we'll get a hotel hall party going."

"Cool.  I love it too, but I don't have nearly enough time to do it and barbecuing for one is kind of sad anyways.  I try to have some friends over when it's warm as much as I can though."

"Do you use that?" Dean pointed at Seth's jacuzzi.

"Again, not as often as I'd like to.  I'd love to try it out with you though!" Seth winked at him.

Dean winked back, "It's a date!"

Seth wandered out into the yard, picking up Kevin's ball and giving it a toss, rousing Kevin from his slumber.  He played catch with him until Dean was ready to start loading the grill up.  While Dean got the steaks going, Seth headed back in to put together a salad and get their side dishes ready.

Once everything was ready, they carried everything inside and corralled Kevin before sitting down to eat, Seth once again impressed with Dean's skills. 

After going back for seconds and thirds, the pair were stretched out in their chairs, both suffering from rapidly approaching food comas.

"Fuck!  It's been awhile since I've ate like that.  I'm probably going to need a nap after this!" Dean grumbled.

Seth just moaned in agreement, rubbing his stomach.  Reluctant to move, but knowing he needed to, he dragged himself to his feet and began clearing the table.

Dean groaned, but followed, drying the dishes as Seth washed them, quickly getting finished and turning out the lights before heading upstairs, Kevin at their heels.

Inside, Seth suggested a bath, which Dean was quick to agree to.  Stripping down, the pair snuggled up in the tub, the heat and bubbles helping release the tension that was built up in both of them.

They shared lazy kisses and caresses throughout their bath, neither looking to take things any further, content to just be together.

Afterwards, they decided to skip putting any clothes back on, deciding nude cuddling was the way to go.

Dean leapt into bed quickly, holding his arms open for him to slide into.  Sitting up, Seth took out his contacts, leaning over to the side table to drop them into his solution, but finding something else instead.

"Umm Dean, do you have something to tell me?" Seth held up the pair of pink handcuffs that had materialized in his room.

Dean laughed, "Guess you found your present Princess!"

 

 


	23. Chapter 23

Seth's mouth remained open as he stared at Dean, his cheeks flushed.

Dean's face fell as he looked at him, "I thought you'd be into it. Sorry!"

Seth felt guilty as Dean's eyes dropped, his fingers playing nervously with the covers on the bed.  Seth stared at the handcuffs he was clutching again before leaning over and handing them to Dean, taking a deep unsure breath before explaining, "I, I want to try.  I just, it's hard for me to imagine giving that much control over to someone," it was his turn for his eyes to drop nervously.

Dean mentally hit himself as he realized he hadn't even thought about Seth's trust issues when he'd walked into the sex shop and picked up some goodies.  It shouldn't be surprising that after having to deal with Patrick's abuse, he wouldn't feel comfortable being restrained.

"Fuck!  I'm sorry I'm a oblivious idiot baby!" Dean let go of the sheets and let the cuffs drop in between them as he twined his fingers with Seth's.  "I just thought we could have some fun on our weekend.  I'm not into any of that hardcore shit anymore, but there's a few things I don't mind playing around with.  It wouldn't be any fun for me if you're not into it though.  We can forget these!" Dean picked up the cuffs and threw them across the room.

Seth jumped at the action, his eyes tearing up as he looked up at Dean, "I don't want him to ruin anything I could have with you babe!  I've never, I mean experimenting in the bedroom wasn't really anything that he wanted to try or anything I really thought about.  That doesn't mean that I don't want to though."

Dean reached up to wipe away his tears, "Shh, we don't have to do anything you're not ready for or comfortable with.  I meant what I said, this only works if we're both going to get satisfaction out of it."

"But how do I know if I will if we don't at least try?  I want to be able to try things, to trust you without thinking about him!" Seth pleaded.

Dean pulled him in for a hug, "It's probably going to take time Seth, I mean I've got my own trust issues as well.  I've always been the one initiating things in my relationships because not being in charge scares me.  I spent too much of my early life with things out of my control, so I get where you are coming from, alright?"

Seth nodded against his chest, "K, but can we still try?  I just, I'm going to need to go slow."

Sighing Dean agreed as he stated, "We will do whatever you want however you want alright? And if you rather we use them on me, we can try that instead."

Seth pulled back from him with a whimper, "Really, you'd let me do that?" he asked, eyes wide once again.

"Like you, I'm willing to try.  We can figure out safe words and all of that.  We'll figure it out, alright?"

"Okay, I, I want to trust you D, I really do!"

Dean melted at his open expression, "God Princess, I know that and I am so grateful for that.  I've never had complete trust with anyone besides Roman, but from that first night, something in here has been telling me that I can trust you.  I want that, I want us to be able to believe in one another implicitly," he pounded on his chest as Seth stared at him in adoration, leaning in for a sweet kiss.

As they laid back down, snuggling up, Seth began to giggle against him as Dean raised his head to raise his eyebrows at him.  Seth tried to compose himself as he gasped, "Pink, you, you got me pink handcuffs!"

"Only the best for my Princess!" Dean smirked at him, reaching out and tickling him as he squirmed against him.

"You're crazy D, but I think I really love you that way!" Seth laid a kiss on his chest, running his hand through the hair lining his sternum.  As they sat there in the quiet, Seth found himself feeling guilty again.

Unable to shut up his thoughts, Seth leaned back up, looking down as Dean as he said, "I need to tell you something."

It took a second for Seth to realize that Dean was speaking at the same time, "What did you say?"

Dean looked up at him, "I said there's something I haven't told you, but you go first, what do you need to tell me?"

Seth sighed, moving back down to smother his face against Dean's neck, "I didn't want to ruin our evening, but I can't stop thinking about it and I don't know what to do.  I mean, I know what I want to do, but it's going to ruin things and I'm not sure I'm ready for that," Seth's rambling stopped as Dean lay a hand over his mouth, urging him to take a deep breath.

Nodding Seth did just that before starting over, "Patrick's not just going away.  He leaked our photos to TMZ and they posted a article this morning accusing us of having a affair behind his back and behind your apparent girlfriend Renee."

Dean immediately began to protest, "I haven't dated Renee in months and it was never anything serious!  As soon as I realized she was looking for more, I broke it off!"

"Shh," Seth reached out, laying his hand over his, "I believe you, but apparently Patrick dug up some info and got her in on his plan.  I'm surprised you haven't heard anything from anyone yet."

Dean shrugged, "I haven't exactly been in contact with anyone since I got here.  Figured I'd check in with Ro at the end of the week, but everyone knows I hardly ever use my phone so they don't even bother.  Let me see the article."

Seth sat up, grabbing his phone and pulling it up so he could show him, he shivered as Dean's expression darkened, "I'm sorry babe, I didn't want to make you angry," his voice wobbled.

Dean looked over at him, reaching out and grasping his cheek, "Hey, I'm not angry with you alright, just that asshole for tainting this!  He took what was a beautiful weekend and made it out to be something torrid.  I already told you I don't give a fuck what people think, but he drug you into this and I know that you do.  I'm the one who is sorry."

"No, you don't need to apologize to me Dean!  I loved every second that we've spent together so far and I don't regret any of it, okay?" Seth tried to reassure him.  "What did you need to tell me?"

"I'm the reason the bastard did this.  He followed me from your office this morning.  I thought he was a reporter or a fan or something until he started yelling at me about staying away from his fiance.  He wasn't happy when I didn't give a shit what he had to say.  He stormed off, but I should have known that he wasn't just going to let it go," Dean's hands began to clench up anxiously, prompting Seth to grab them, stilling them as he made Dean look him in the eye.

"None of this is your fault, this baggage is all my doing.  If I'd had the guts to take care of him back then, he'd have no control over me now.  That's all on me!"

Dean's expression softened, "I knew what I was getting into Princess; you've been upfront about all of it.  Now what were you saying about needing to do something?"

Seth's heart began beating rapidly as Dean's eyebrows rose, "Fuck, this is harder than I thought it would be!"

Dean slumped against him, "You're ending this.  I've become a embarrassment you don't need or want.  I get it, you shouldn't have to deal with the publicity being with me brings."

"No!" Seth shouted at him, quickly gaining his attention.  "The last thing I want is to lose you now.  I think this is worth fighting for; don't you?  My boss confronted me today about the pictures and he wants me to release a statement denying our involvement.  Moving forward, he wants me to make this a discrete relationship."

Dean trembled against him, his voice broken, "So, is that what you want?  If that's what we have to do to stay together, then that's what we'll do!"

Seth hated seeing and hearing how defeated Dean had become, "What I want is to continue the way we are now.  I don't want to hide our relationship. If you don't care what people think, then neither do I, but it's not going to be easy for either of us.  Patrick is going to keep coming at us and I'm not sure how my boss is going to react when I deny his orders.  Fuck, I don't even want to think about how my parents are going to react either!"

Dean looked up at him, hope slowly returning to his face, "I don't want to make things difficult for you.  If there's even a second where you feel you can't handle it or you want to do the whole public denial thing, I'll be right there for you," Dean could feel himself looking out over the edge of the mountain, but for once he wasn't terrified about what was below.  Seth had just proven how much he cared about him and Dean wanted, no needed to do the same.  Leaning forward, Dean pressed his forehead against Seth's, "I love you Seth.  It scares me to death, but I do."

Speechless, Seth could only cling to him, openly sobbing as he let out of all the frustration and fear and guilt that he'd been feeling all day.  He'd been honest and the world hadn't come to a end.  Dean was still here and although the prospect of fighting his boss and his family and Patrick scared the hell out of him, hearing Dean say the words was worth all of it.

Wrecked, they lay there holding one another tightly as if moving a inch would make the other disappear.  They both groaned when the silence was disturbed by Seth's ringing phone.

Reluctantly, Seth leaned over to look at it, freezing as he saw who was calling him so late, he turned to look at Dean, his deer-in-headlights expression prompting him to reach out and squeeze Seth's hand, "Who is it?"

Seth sighed, "It's my dad, fuck, I'm not ready for this!"

"Then ignore it and come back down here," Dean urged.

Seth shook his head, "He won't stop if I don't and eventually he'll wind up here, which would be even worse," shaking Seth grabbed the phone and pushed the answer button, _Dad, what can I do for you this late?_

Laying next to him, Dean could here the stern deep voice issue out, disturbing the peaceful existence of the room, _You've really screwed things up now son!  What the hell were you thinking?  Now how are we going to fix this?_

At a loss of words, Seth stared at Dean helplessly.

 


	24. Chapter 24

_I said how are we going to fix this son?_

Seth shivered as his father's voice got even louder.  _I'm working on that now Dad._

Sure now that he and Seth were on the same page, his father's voice lowered.  _Good, we've worked too hard to get you to where you are now for you to throw it all away on some foolish crush of yours.  Besides, we both know that he would have gotten tired of you anyways.  You and he have absolutely nothing in common Seth.  Now if you insist on not fixing things with Patrick, then maybe we can get you on one of those professional dating sites and find you someone worthy of being a partner to a Rollins, someone who will fit into your world, alright?_

Wanting to just get off the phone, Seth agreed, wincing as his father continued to talk.

_I'm having some friends over tomorrow night, but let's invite some of the firm as well and you can get started on your apology and your denial of this 'relationship', just come right here from work and we can discuss how this is going to go._

Without waiting for a response, his father had hung up on him.  Listening to the dial tone for a second, Seth finally turned it off before turning back to Dean, who was staring at him, a hurt expression on his face.

Realizing that Dean obviously thought that Seth was betraying him, Seth found himself launching himself across the bed, straddling Dean's lap as he pushed his forehead against his, "I was just appeasing him for now D.  I didn't feel like getting into anything with him over the phone.  I already told you he would have shown up here and made a worse scene.  At least this way I've got some time to figure things out.  Please tell me you believe me babe!"

Dean's eyes closed for a second before reaching out and cupping Seth's cheek, "I believe you Princess, but I need to know that when the time comes it's going to be worth it for you to stand up to him, to your boss and to whoever else we need to fight to keep this.  I don't want you resenting me down the line."

Seth shook his head, "I won't; I promise.  All I need to know is that you're with me and that you have my back.  I've always given in to whatever my father wanted, afraid to lose his support, his name, his money.  I let him mold me into the person that he wanted me to be and it left me in a relationship with a man who only cared about hurting me and because of it I tried to push away the people who really cared about me.  I won't, I can't let them take away anything else from me.  I love you Dean and I want you in my life.  I've never been happier than these last couple of weeks."

"Me too baby.  My life has been one disappointment after another until you and I'll do anything to keep you in my life.  I'm here for whatever you need and I'll support you no matter what, even if you decide that this is all too much for you.  I meant what I said earlier, I love you Seth."

"I'm going to try to be deserving of that.  I'm not going anywhere D, I wish you could believe me on that, but maybe I can show you?" Seth trembled as he looked at him.

Dean blinked at him, "What are you saying Princess?"

"I'm saying I want to make love to you Dean.  I know we were waiting for the weekend, but I don't want to wait anymore.  I just need to feel you, to show you how you make me feel."

Dean stared at him helplessly, not expecting his request.  Lost in his own thoughts, he stared at him until Seth began to scoot away from him crestfallen.  Dean reached out and caught his wrist before he could get far, "Are you sure about this Princess, because once we start I'm not going to be able to stop."

Seth turned tear filled eyes on him, pleading with him, "I don't want you to stop; I just want you to love me!  I want to know what it's really supposed to be like when you love someone and they love you back.  I want you to drive him out of my head Dean because you're already the only one in my heart!"

Dean was wrecked the second the words left his mouth.  Unable to express what he was feeling, Dean just pulled him to him, letting himself fall into a desperate kiss, their tongues quickly tangling as they desperately tried to convey their feelings through the touch.

Eventually Seth drew back, his eyes at half-mast as he begged, "Show me D!"

"Yes," Dean croaked out.  "Yes Princess, anything and everything you want."

...

There was no fanfare, no romantic gestures, none of the things that either of them had planned, but in the end there was just them, just the two of them doing their best to soothe the other's insecurities; providing reassurance that this thing between them was real and vital and lasting.

Urging Seth onto his back, Dean settled easily in between his thighs as he devoured his mouth.  Seth adjusted his hips so that their bodies were perfectly aligned, their awakening cocks pressed tightly together.

With a groan, Seth's head fell back, his neck on display for Dean who couldn't resist leaning down to nip at his throat, inhaling his scent.  One of Dean's hands moved Seth's leg around his waist, thrusting gently against him as they both came to full awareness.  They continued to make out until the need between them became too much to ignore.

Leaning back with a sigh, Dean reached into Seth's side drawer pulling out the lube and a condom, holding it up questioningly towards him.

Reaching up, Seth knocked it out of his hand, "Want you, just you," he gasped.  "I'm clean and I trust you."

Dean thought his heart was going to pound out of his chest, taken aback by Seth's faith in him, "I um, I want that too.  I'm clean too, we get tested regularly for everything under the sun because of the possibility of blood in the ring and I've always protected myself."

Seth stopped his rambling as he reached up and grabbed the lube from him, popping it open and reaching down to apply it to Dean's pulsing cock.  Dean held his hand out to him, letting Seth coat his fingers with it before reaching down to prep him.

Seth shivered as the first cold finger brushed against his rim.  He pushed against him slowly, moaning as the tip moved inside of him, Dean pushed in a bit more, moving it back and forth gently determined to draw more of those delicious sounds from him.  Satisfied that he was comfortable, Dean added another finger and then a third, finally brushing Seth's prostate, causing him to let out a shout, "Right there babe, right there!"

Dean nodded, drawing out and back in, going right for it again as Seth writhed against him, digging his nails into Dean's shoulders, the twinge of pain bringing a smile to Dean's face, sure he'd have marks there to remind him of this later.

Pulling back, Dean laughed as Seth whined, reaching back out for him, "Patience Princess!  Can I taste you baby?  Do you think you can last that long for me?"

Seth looked up at him in adoration as he nodded vigorously.  No one had ever spent this much time on foreplay with him, always caring more about getting inside of him instead of wanting him to be ready for it; wanting him to enjoy it just as much as his partner was.

As Dean urged him over, Seth scrambled to get into position on his knees, shivering again as Dean spread his legs, exposing him to Dean's hot gaze.  Seth turned his head to look back at him, his eyes deepening with lust as he saw the hunger in Dean's own eyes as he looked at him spread out before him. 

Flushing Seth looked away shyly, but Dean's hand stroked his back, urging him to turn back around, "Look at me Seth.  Do you see what you do to me?  You're so god damn gorgeous baby!" Dean sat up, letting Seth see his hard cock jutting out towards him, the tip already dripping with precum.  "Don't be afraid to see just how much I want you Princess or to show me how much you want me.  There is nothing, absolutely nothing that you can do here that would be wrong, alright?"

Seth nodded at his reassurance, his eyes taking in every inch of Dean displayed behind him.  He still blushed as Dean winked at him, but he kept his eyes locked on his as Dean leaned forward for a quick kiss before moving back behind him, plunging his tongue inside of him without warning, causing Seth to fall forward into the pillows with a gasp. 

Dean pulled him back up effortlessly, holding him up gently as he hungrily feasted on his ass, his tongue curling to poke at his prostate, pulling back when Seth began to shake against him, "Can't hold it much longer babe!  I need you in me Dean!"

Rolling him back onto his back, Dean was suddenly everywhere, his hands roaming the body beneath him as he claimed Seth's lips once again, sharing his taste with him.  Taking a breath, Dean nuzzled into his chest for a moment before drawing back up. 

Seth grinned up at him as he reached up pushing Dean's sweaty curls away from his forehead so he could see his piercing blue eyes, which were locked on his own chocolate ones.  Dean giggled down at him as he ran his hand across Seth's beard, tugging gently, "Do you know how amazing you look like this?  You're all mine, aren't you Princess?"

With no hesitation, Seth nodded, "All yours, D."

Dean beamed at him as his hand cupped his cheek, "And I'm all yours.  What do you say we finally do this baby?"

Seth pulled him back down for a kiss, before letting his thighs fall open again as he moved both legs behind Dean's back, his foot pushing Dean's ass against him, both moaning as Dean's hard cock brushed Seth's once again.

Slowly, Dean drew back a bit, reaching down to grasp his dick as he brushed it across Seth's rim, leaving a trail of precum behind.  Holding it steady, he began to push in.  Once the tip was in, he froze, letting them both catch their breath before continuing to push in in increments until he was in fully, his hips pressed tightly against Seth's thighs, his stomach rubbing against Seth's own soaked dick.

They both sighed as Dean bottomed out, their joy at being joined in completion clearly visible as they continued to watch one another closely, breathing in unison as they tried to stay in control, to prolong this moment.

Mercifully, Dean finally drew back and then pushed in again slowly, his thrusts getting harder as Seth gasped out, "So full D, more, give me more!"

Setting a brutal pace, the pair found their rhythm, both overwhelmed by the feelings surrounding them as they raced to completion.  Dean quickly found Seth's prostate, slamming against it again and again as Seth reached down to stroke his own cock, laughing helplessly as Dean batted it away, grasping it with his own and helping him catch up with Dean who was right on the edge.

"Okay baby, I need you to come for me first.  Let me see it!" Dean whispered in his ear as Seth's hands squeezed into Dean's hips leaving behind a pleasant ache that was sure to turn into bruising later.

Howling, Seth pressed up as he let himself go, crying out Dean's name as he erupted in between them, his cum shooting across Dean's stomach and up onto his own.

Feeling Seth contract around him set Dean off into his own orgasm, flooding Seth's channel as he collapsed down onto him, continuing to shake against him, riding out his climax as Seth absentmindedly stroked his hair.

When he finally came back to himself, he had enough awareness to roll himself off of Seth and to his side, pulling him against him as he lay his head on his chest, "Thank you baby, thank you for letting me show you.  Love you Seth, love you so much," he stroked his hand across his abs, up to his throat, where he pressed against his earlier bite mark.

Seth pulled the hand up to his mouth, giving it a quick kiss as he whispered back, his throat wrecked, "Love you too Dean.  I'm so glad that you saw me that day; that you took a chance on texting me, a chance on this.  It's never been this good, D.  No one has ever made me feel like this."

Dean rose his head to look at him, sensing something else in his words, "No one else has ever loved you the way I do Princess.  You're mine and that's why it feels so right and so good," Dean sighed as he dropped back down, his hand continuing to trace around Seth's body.  "I'm sorry they didn't appreciate you Seth, but I'm not sorry that those assholes led me to you."

Seth sighed, "You're right, I'm yours, but that means you're mine too and I think that means this is meant to be.  I used to wonder if maybe I'd missed out on my soulmate because I was too busy trying to make things work with the wrong people, but you were out there waiting for me the same way I was waiting for you."

Dean laughed, "I'm not sure I believe all that one mate for everyone mumbo jumbo, but this is something special and it does feel like it's supposed to be that way so I'm not gonna argue with you, but I am going to take you into the shower because I know you hate feeling dirty!" Dean tossed him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry as Seth giggled the whole way.

...

Later, the pair was curled up back in bed after Seth insisted on changing the sheets.  Although they intended to go to sleep, neither had been able to shut down their minds.

"D?  You still awake?" Seth's voice interrupted the silence.

Rolling over, Dean's head was laying right up against his as he looked at him in the dark, "Yeah, what's going on?"

Dean felt Seth's hand searching around and he moved his up to him, a grin coming over him as Seth gripped on tightly before he answered, "I want you to come to my parent's house with me tomorrow."

"Done," Dean gave his hand a squeeze.  "I already told you: whatever you want or need.  Are you sure you want me there?  It's going to piss a lot of people off."

"I don't care," Seth sounded sure of himself for a change.  "I've been thinking and I know my father and I know that he's going to have Patrick there.  I just, I feel stronger when you're with me and I need to be strong if I'm going to confront them.  I need all of them to finally understand that I'm not that pathetic person who gave into them back then.  I need him to know that he doesn't still have any control over me."

"Then I'm there."

Seth smiled, leaning up to lay a kiss on Dean's cheek, "Thank you, but there's something I need to ask you first and if you can't do it, I understand, but it's the one condition that I have."

Dean sat up against the headboard, his eyes piercing Seth's even in the dark, "Lay it on me," he said warily.

"I need you to promise to let me deal with this my way.  No matter what they say to me or try to do, I need you to let me handle it.  I want you there to support me, but I don't want you fighting the battle for me if that makes sense?  I also don't want to see you wind up in jail because of me."

Dean sighed, "I can't promise that I won't hurt him, but I can promise to try.  That's all I can give you Princess; I'm sorry."

"I guess that will have to do for now," Seth murmured. 

Both lost in thought, Dean moved back down and spooned him, eventually both of them falling into a restless sleep.

Seth was the first to wake up, laying there watching Dean sleep with a fond smile on his face.  The last couple of days had been tough, but having Dean there with him was enough.  He grinned as he thought about Dean telling him he loved him and then making love to him. 

Reaching out, he smoothed out the wrinkles in Dean's forehead, freezing as Dean shifted in his sleep.  With a whisper, Seth began to get up, "I can't let them use you to get to me D!  I won't!"

Happy with the decision he'd made in his sleep, Seth grabbed his phone and made his way downstairs as he made his call.

_Hi, sorry to bother you, but I need to ask you for a favor._

 

 

 

 

 


	25. Chapter 25

Dean woke up to a empty bed as he felt around next to him.  Looking at the clock, he realized that it was already past the time that Seth normally got up, so he must have slept through his alarm and Seth's morning routine.

Sighing, he made himself get up and stretch before pulling on a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt and heading downstairs to find his boyfriend.  He found him in the kitchen, singing along quietly to his radio as he fixed omelettes for them.

As he walked into the room, Seth beamed over at him.  Still trying to wake himself up, Dean walked sleepily to him, burying his face in his back as he hugged him from behind.

Seth laughed, looking back at him, "Tired babe?"

"Mmm," Dean mumbled.  "Let's go back to bed!"

"Come on and have some breakfast," Seth led him to the table, pushing him down into one of the chairs as Dean immediately pillowed his arms on the table and dropped his head down onto them.

"Uh, uh!" Seth pushed him off as he sat down their meal, dropping into the seat across from him.

Reluctantly, Dean opened his eyes and begrudgingly began to eat, "S'good, thanks!"

"I can drive myself to work today and you can stay here and get some rest if you want," Seth said, looking at him.  "You're going to need to hang around here anyways."

Dean cocked a eyebrow at him, "Why's that?"

Seth's eyes slid away from him as he tapped nervously on the table, "Because Roman will be here in a couple of hours."

Dean leaned over the table, forcefully turning his head back to his until he could see his eyes, "I'm sorry, did you just say Ro was coming?"

Voice breaking, Seth nodded, "Y-y-yeah, I called him and asked him to come early this morning."

"Alright," Dean replied back calmly.  "And can you tell me why you called my best friend during his days off and asked him to fly across the country?  To leave his wife and kid that he hardly gets to see?" Seth winced as Dean's tone grew angrier.

"I thought we could use his support tonight," Seth tried to explain.  "He's your family and I thought that if I was going to throw you into the middle of mine, that it would be a good idea to have someone there who has your back."

Dean's fist came down on the table, shaking the plates and making Seth jump, "I don't need a goddamn babysitter!  Why does everyone think I'm incapable of taking care of myself?  You don't trust me to have your back, do you?" he yelled.

Seth watched helplessly as Dean stood up and began to pace, grabbing at his hair as he mumbled to himself, "Always the same, poor Dean can't be responsible, poor Dean can't control himself..."

"Dean, I trust you completely, but you told me you didn't know if you could hold yourself back tonight and I'm going to be too busy trying not to have a breakdown in the middle of my father's living room to talk you down!  I thought having Ro there would help both of us relax and get through this!  Can you tell me that having him there is really a bad idea?" Seth asked.

Dean shook his head as he continued to battle with the voices in his head.  Not even really aware of what he was doing, he was spinning on Seth and slamming his hands down on the table again.

Seth whimpered, scrambling out of his chair and moving backwards until he hit the refrigerator, a terrified look on his face, "Please, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he pleaded as tears began to run down his cheeks.

His sobs managed to break through the noise in Dean's head, causing him to focus in on Seth cowering across from him.  Horrified, Dean suddenly realized what his outburst must have looked like to Seth and what it must have reminded him of. 

"Fuck!" Dean began to walk towards Seth, his hands out in front of him, but Seth's increased whines stopped him.  Thinking it over, Dean dropped to his knees in front of him, "Baby, I'm not coming any closer, alright?  I'm not going to hurt you; no one is going to hurt you, not on my watch!" Dean crossed his legs Indian-style and sat his hands in his lap so they were clearly visible to him.  "I didn't mean to scare you Princess.  I was hearing the voices again and I was just trying to make them stop.  I know I promised to tell you when I was hearing them, but it all happened so fast.  I tend to hurt myself to make them go away.  The pain helps me focus, but that sometimes means that I end up with a aching head from where I pulled my hair or a throbbing fist from driving it into the first thing I see.  Unfortunately, that means I've had to pick up the bill for a number of mine and Ro's rooms, but I would never, NEVER, hurt you Seth!  I've never touched another person in the middle of my craziness," Dean made a circular motion around his head.

Across from him, Seth's sobbing had begun to subside, Dean sure that he was listening.  Hoping he was getting through, he continued, "I love you, but if you want me to leave I can do that.  Just promise me that you'll take Ro with you tonight.  I don't want you to be alone there!"

Seth began shaking his head as he whispered, "No, no, don't go!"

"Shh," Dean held up his hands.  "I'm right here.  I'm not going anywhere if you don't tell me to," Dean slowly held his arms open, letting out a sigh of relief as Seth slowly scrambled to him, collapsing into them as Dean pulled his legs around him.  He patted his head as he whispered, "I've got you baby, I've got you."

"I'm sorry I made you angry," Seth mumbled into his shoulder.

"Shit!  Seth, you didn't do anything!  You're not responsible for my mood swings, alright?  I overreacted because you touched a nerve.  You already saw how Roman walks around thinking he needs to run my life for me.  I know he cares, but I feel like my whole life people have looked at me like I'm a screw up they need to watch over.  I'm not saying I didn't put myself in that position, but I've been taking care of myself my whole life and maybe I'm a bit unorthodox, but it's worked for me," Dean tried to get his point across.  "You don't look at me like that Seth.  You look at me like you believe I can make things better for you, like you can actually count on me, but then hearing you'd called Roman made me think that maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see; that you think I'm as worthless as everybody else does."

Seth leaned back, Dean's words finally bringing him out of the almost trance he'd been in, "You are not worthless!  I don't think that and I can pretty much guarantee Roman doesn't think that either!  I'm not saying that Roman doesn't treat you like a child, but he clearly thinks the world of you.  And as for me, nobody in my life has made me feel safer than you do Dean!"

"Yeah, I can see how safe you feel!" Dean stated sarcastically.  "I made you run from me Princess!"

"You scared me for a moment Dean, that's true.  I've never really seen you angry and for a minute, a brief moment, I flashed back to the way it was with him.  But you proved me right Dean, you proved that even when you're most angry, you would never do anything to hurt me," Seth pleaded with him.

"But I did hurt you with my words!  I don't want this anger inside of me to make you feel like you have to tiptoe around me Seth."

"Then help me get there, babe!  I mean, couples fight, right?  No one can always get along, so we just need to figure out a new normal for both of us.  I need you to realize that you can say what you need to me Dean without having to worry about the consequences, we just need to be willing to talk it through and I need you to continue to show me that we can fight without violence having any role in it," Seth's voice got stronger as he looked at him.  "Do you think you can do that for me?"

Dean's eyes closed as he exhaled and replied, "Yeah, yeah I can do that.  Fuck Princess!  We need to stop doing this to one another.  These emotional drains can't be good for either of us."

Seth gave a bitter laugh, "That's for damn sure!  Unfortunately, I need to go to work.  It's up to you what you want to do about Roman.  I'd still feel better if he was there with us though.  I thought about inviting my friends, but the hatred between them and my parents and Patrick could start a fire on its own and we've got enough sparks already."

"Ro can come, but I have to warn you Princess, don't be fooled by his calm exterior, The Big Dog has a quicker temper than I do!  You're a part of his family now and that means something to him.  He'll do anything he needs to to protect you."

Seth groaned, "I'm dreading this evening more and more!"

"Me too, but I promise you that at the end of the night, I'll be with you, alright?  I'll follow your lead as best I can.  If things start to get to be too much for you, we'll get the hell out of there.  Just keep thinking about how much I love you and what we can get up to tonight to annoy Roman in your guest room!" Dean's heart jumped as Seth giggled, his smile lighting up the darkness that had been swirling through him.

"I can do that.  And on that note, I'm going to go.  I love you," Seth leaned in for a kiss.  "I'll let you know when I'm on my way."

Dean stole another kiss before letting him go, "Love you too.  We'll be ready, don't worry!"

Dean sighed as the door closed behind Seth and he heard the car start up and then pull out.  He'd promised to keep his cool, but he already knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

...

Dean tried going back to bed, but his racing mind wouldn't let him fall asleep. 

Instead, he ended up on Seth's laptop checking out the hotel they'd be staying at over the weekend and trying to figure out the perfect surprise for Seth.  He wanted this weekend to be one Seth would never forget.

In spite of his earlier ire, Dean grinned as a familiar knock rang out at the front door.  He went down to let Roman in, rolling his eyes at his best friend's words, "Uce!  Do I even want to know what you've gotten yourself into this time?"

Dean gave him a shove before urging him to sit down on the couch as Dean grabbed them some beers.

...

"Fuck, this asshole put him in the hospital and his family still thinks he's the perfect fit?!"

Dean grinned at the mix of anger and disbelief in his friend's voice, "Finally: the voice of reason!  They're giving my lousy parents a run for their money."

Roman shook his head, "I think it's amazing you've gotten as far as you have D.  If you two can overcome all of your baggage, I think you got a good chance here.  You're good for each other."

"He was afraid of me Ro," Dean's voice was almost a whisper.

"He was afraid of the scene in his head D.  You of all people know how PTSD works.  Your yelling triggered his fears.  Sounds like you did exactly what you needed to do to bring him back to the present," Roman reassured him.  " You told me that he was able to talk you down from a panic attack.  This was no different."

"How can I help him if I can't even help myself?"

"By listening, by being there.  It's pretty simple Uce.  Maybe you should think about seeing someone together.  I know you hate the idea, but counseling really helped Galina and I when we were having problems."

Dean shrugged, "Maybe."

"So, are we going to tag team this mother fucker?" Roman changed the subject.

Dean laughed, "You have no idea how much I want to, but this is Seth's show and I promised to behave.  That's where you come in.  I tried to warn him that you're a bigger hot head than I am."

"Please!  How many places have we been thrown out because of you and your temper?"

Dean chose to ignore him, "I really do need you to keep me from doing something stupid Big Dog.  Seth shoulders enough guilt as it is.  I can't be the one to add to it!"

"Don't worry D, I've got your back, both of you," Roman held his fist out to Dean.  

As he bumped it with his own, Dean felt a little better about the situation, but he groaned at Roman's next words, "Come on Uce, let's go put some monkey suits on.  We need to look the part and not play into what they expect from us."

...

Dean and Roman were arguing over a ball game when Seth arrived home from work, but Dean instantly rose to give him a hug and a kiss.

Dean's whole body warmed up as Seth drew back and took in the view of Dean in a suit.  He was wondering how much time they had when Roman stood up and slapped the back of his head.

"Don't even think about it!"

"What?" Dean gave him his most innocent expression.

Seth giggled, grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs, "We'll be back Roman!"

They both laughed at his grumbling as they raced to the bedroom.

...

Having a little time alone did wonders for their nerves and they were pretty calm as they joined Roman back in the living room.

After locking up, Seth drove them over to his parent's place, his gut clenching as he turned onto the affluent street.

"Hey," Dean squeezed his hand.  "We leave the second you want to, alright?"

Seth nodded, forcing a smile as Roman clapped his shoulder in solidarity from the back seat.

Standing on the porch, Seth took a deep breath before letting himself inside.

"Dad, we're here!"

"We?" Seth's father stepped into the doorway, taking in Seth's companions.  "What the hell are you doing son?" he asked clearly displeased.

Reaching out, Seth grabbed Dean's hand for support.  With a squeeze and nod from his boyfriend, Seth found his confidence, "What's best for me," he answered.  "I'm not going to let anyone dictate my life for me anymore!"

 

 

 

 


	26. Chapter 26

Seth's proclamation was interrupted by the appearance of his mother, who pulled him in for a hug, only noticing the men with him when she pulled back, "Seth, who are your friends?"

Smiling for the first time since walking in the door, Seth introduced them, "Mom, this is my boyfriend Dean and that's Dean's best friend Roman.  Guys, this is my mother Amelia."

Dean held his hand out, shaking hers gently, "It's so nice to meet you Mrs. Rollins.  You've got a amazing son here."

She smiled at him, "Thank you, I think so too," she said proudly before leaning over to shake Roman's hand.

Turning towards his father, Seth said, "Dean, Ro, this is my dad Silas."

Clearly uncomfortable, he shook Roman's hand before turning to Dean, who grasped onto his hand firmly while saying, "Mr. Rollins, I've been looking forward to finally meeting you," although he seemed sincere, the edge in his voice was noticeable to both Roman and Seth, who winced.

"Pity I can't say the same," his father said dryly, prolonging the handshake with a squeeze, trying to provoke Dean.

"Honey, why don't you take Seth's friends to get something for them to drink and Seth and I can talk before the others get here."

Before Seth could say anything, Dean was stepping up next to him, "Not a chance!"

"Excuse me?" his father asked threateningly.

"I said NOT A CHANCE!" Dean got closer to him, but stopped when Roman laid a hand on his shoulder.  

Seth shrunk under the infuriated look his father threw him as he yelled at him, "You're letting this person you barely know tell you what to do and order you around?  What the hell are you thinking Seth?"

Trembling, Seth grabbed Dean's hand again, pulling him up against his side, "For the record, Dean's the first person in my life who hasn't tried to tell me what to do.  Unlike you, he respects my decisions and supports them, whether he approves or not," he stated calmly.

"Get real son!  You're a quick fling in between stops on his "wrestling" tour," his father's tone clearly indicated his opinion on that.  "Is the sex that good that you're letting him jeopardize everything?"

Once again, Dean spoke up before Seth could, "With all due respect sir, you know nothing about me or my relationship with your son.  He's not some meaningless fling and he's not some bubble headed idiot who can't think for himself.  He's one of the strongest, smartest, funniest, sweetest, most thoughtful people I've ever met.  You should be proud of the man he's become instead of trying to bring him down," he managed to stay in control, the only sign of his distress was his tight hold on Seth's now numb hand.

Before his father could say something back, his mother's voice rang out, "Enough!  Silas, someone just drove in.  You can talk to Seth later.  Boys, come with me."

The trio followed her out into a massive, pretentious living room, a full bar with servers set up and light music playing in the background.

Seth greeted the bartender as if they were old friends, making his way behind it to mix his own drinks, handing one to Roman and then Dean before pouring a wine for his mother.

"Thank you Seth.  It really is good to see you," she shared.

"I'm sorry mom, but I can't deal with the constant jabs about Patrick.  I know you had this plan in your head for me, but it was all a lie.  We won't be getting back together ever and the sooner you realize that, it will be better for all of us."

"Seth, I just want you to be happy."

"Dean makes me happy.  I was miserable with Patrick not to mention hurting both physically and emotionally.  I wish you could see just what kind of a person he really is!"

"Oh Seth!  Listen, we can talk about this later.  For now, let's enjoy this evening," Dean threw Roman a "are you believing this shit" look at her words.

Stung, Seth moved back over to Dean, taking his hand as they sipped their drinks.

Trying to get their minds clear, Roman started telling them some cute stories about his week at home, "You're going to need to come visit with D next time Seth.  Jo Jo is going to be so happy her uncle has found someone.  She worries about him."

"That's because my niece is a saint!" Dean grinned.

"Yeah see if you still feel that way after one of her tantrums when she's telling you how much she hates you!" Roman fired back.

Seth giggled as Dean sat down his drink and let go of his hand, covering his own ears in protest, "Not listening to you talking bad about our angel!"

Next to them, Seth's mom's eyes widened in surprise at the sound of Seth's laughter.  She hadn't seen him that open and happy since he was a kid, goofing off with his friends who seemed to live at their house.

She frowned as that joy turned into dismay as his eyes took in the sight of his father entering the room with a number of Seth's coworker's including Patrick's father.  She could see him searching the doorway and sure enough, Patrick was walking in with his best friend Randy, another accountant.

She watched closely as the pair smirked at Seth, making him flinch.  Instantly, Dean's arm was rubbing his back reassuredly as Seth leaned back into him.

Forcing herself to look away, she went to play her role as host, drawing the other wives and girlfriends to their own corner.

...

Seth tried to calm his racing heart as he leaned back, drawing strength from Dean.

Roman continued to try to distract them, pulling out his phone and showing them some videos he took of his daughter. 

He felt a sense of satisfaction as both Seth and Dean were suddenly overcome with laughter at the one his wife had shot of his tea party with her.  His daughter had dressed him up in a dress complete with makeup. 

Dean howled as he quipped , "That's my girl!"

"Seth, do tell what's so funny, I'm sure we can all use a laugh." Patrick slid up next to him, his hand trailing across Seth's side.

It took everything in Dean not to break his arm.

"Patrick, I have nothing to say to you.  Go hang out with your boy and leave me al...one!" Seth's voice broke.

Happy to be getting to him, Patrick kept pushing, "You're supposed to be socializing sweetheart.  What's the boss going to think if you hide out in the corner all night?"

"I'm not you're sweetheart!" Seth hissed.

Patrick went to say something else, but suddenly there was a brick wall sticking its hand in his face, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure.  I'm Roman, your worst nightmare if you don't move along," Roman calmly cracked his knuckles.

Patrick smirked, throwing up his hands, "I'm just saying hello to my fiance."

Dean pushed Roman to the side as he got right up into Patrick's face, whispering, "You are nothing to him and you never will be."

"Please, the little whore was practically begging me to take him in his office!  If his boss hadn't interrupted, I would have."

"I already told you once: touch him and I will put you in the ground!" Dean reminded him with a sadistic grin.  "Big Dog here will have no problem helping me dispose of your body!"

Roman bared his teeth at him as Seth got up in his face, "I will never let you anywhere near me again!  Besides, I've finally found someone who can actually satisfy me!"

Dean beamed as Seth snapped, disappointed when Seth's dad stood up to talk to the room, gaining everyone's attention.

"I want to thank everyone for coming tonight, but before we move on to dinner, my son has something he would like to say to everyone!"

Seth froze as everyone's eyes turned to him, his boss staring at him expectantly...fuck!

 

 

 

 

 

 


	27. Chapter 27

Seth shrunk back as all eyes turned towards him. 

Instantly, Dean moved up behind him, gripping his hand and leaning forward to whisper in his ear, "You've got this Princess.  Just say what you need to say."

Taking a shaky breath, Seth nodded and let go, taking a step forward before addressing the room, "Well I had planned on talking to everyone individually, but since my father has given me the floor, I just want to apologize for the fact that my personal life has drawn some unwanted attention this week."

There was some murmured agreement among the room's occupants.

Locking eyes with his boss, Seth prepared himself for the shit storm that was sure to break out after his next words, "For those of you who don't know, I've recently begun seeing a public figure and someone wasn't happy about that and chose to feed lies to a tabloid site.  I, I mean we," he reached back to draw Dean to his side.  "We intend to release a statement to the media clearing things up.  Some people have asked me to put the company ahead of my relationship, to deny our involvement and to be more discrete moving forward.  My boyfriend and I have talked it over and he has left the decision up to me.  Although I appreciate that our private lives can reflect on the company, I don't see any reason to deny that I'm in a solid, monogamous, loving relationship.  We are not going to let these lies tear apart what we are building.  I hope you all can understand that."

Seth turned back to a beaming Dean as Roman patted him on the back, "That was some pretty stand up shit there Uce!  Proud of ya man."

Seth blushed as Dean leaned forward and kissed his forehead, "That makes two of us."

"I don't even recognize you anymore sweetheart!" Patrick was back at Seth's side.

"Good!" Seth snapped at him.  "That's the best compliment you could have given me."

Grabbing Dean's hand again and urging Roman to come along, Seth went over to his boss.

"Mr. Meyers, I'd like you to meet Dean and his best friend Roman," they shook hands as his boss sized them up before looking back at Seth.

"I can't say I'm not disappointed Seth, but I'm also impressed by your stubborness and openness.  I guess I underestimated how far along your relationship had progressed.  The ball is in your court now and as long as this doesn't affect our business then we don't have a problem.  However, if this does come back to bite you, then remember that you will be the one facing the consequences," he said sternly.

Seth nodded, "Understood sir."

Dean glared at him as he walked away, but he kept his mouth shut.

Seth let out a relieved breath, 'That went better than I'd hoped."

Dean shrugged as Roman gave him a disbelieving look.

A couple of Seth's coworkers came over offering their support, but most of them walked by glaring as they moved to the dining room for dinner.  

Steeling themselves, Dean and Roman followed along after Seth.

...

Seth groaned as they walked in where the two massive tables were set up. 

The seating arrangements were always the same at these things: his father at the head of the table with his mother to his right.  His father's old partner and his wife were next to her and then a couple of Seth's coworkers and their partners.  To the left of his father was Seth's boss and his wife, Patrick's parents and finally Randy and Patrick, right next to the space at the other end of the table that was meant to be Seth's.

Seething, Seth began to lead Dean and Roman to the other table, where more of his coworkers were gathered, but was stopped by his father, "Seth, we saved you a seat!  Sorry about your friends, but we didn't know they were coming.  Your mother has made space for them over there though," he said condescendingly. 

Seth was about to cause a scene when one of his coworkers, at the urging of his wife who sensed the tension, stood up and offered up their seats to the pair.  

Seth threw them a grateful glance, grinning at the dismayed expression on his father's face.

Seth took his seat as Dean slid into the one next to him, glaring across at Patrick.  Roman took the other available seat next to Dean, staring down the intimidating Randy.

Dinner itself was uncomfortable as Seth's father put everyone up to work talk, inquiring about various cases, knowing Dean and Roman would be lost and bored.

Seth's mother tried to change the subject, but somehow his father kept turning it back.

Seth had to hide his grin as his dad started talking the stock market and Dean chimed in, bringing up current stocks like a expert.

Seth threw Roman a look who just shrugged.  Dean was always full of surprises.

Seth jumped when the hand slid into his lap caressing his thigh.  His skin crawled at the touch, trying to subtly throw it off without calling attention to them, but Patrick immediately grabbed onto him again.

Next to him, Dean saw him squirming and reached out to lay his hand on his leg in reassurance.  Instead, he came across the real reason for Seth's uncomfortable movements.

With no hesitation, Dean grabbed the invading hand and bent back his fingers, drawing a whimper of pain, "Next time I break it!" he whispered to him as Patrick pulled his hand back, flexing his fingers.

Across the table, Seth's mother watched the exchange with a frown.

Mercifully, the dinner finally came to a end as most of the guests began to leave.  Although Seth wanted to leave, he knew that if he didn't confront his father once and for all, things like this would just keep happening.

So he and Dean and Roman stood in the living room nursing another drink as he waited for everyone else to take off.  

Finally, his father was saying goodbye to Patrick's parents, but then he realized that Patrick and Randy weren't leaving!

Turning back to them, his father ushered them into the room as he said, "Well, now that we're all here, let's talk about what is really best for you son!"

 


	28. Chapter 28

"What the hell are you doing?" Seth asked furiously.  Shaking his head, he turned to Dean and Roman, "Let's go."

As they began to head for the exit, Seth's father stopped him, "Seth, we're not done here!"

Seth spun around on him, "We were done the second you decided to ask that to stay!" he pointed at Patrick.

"Seth, just listen to what he has to say, alright?  He came to me early and he just asked me to help him get a few moments with you.  That's all!" his father held his hands up.

Grumbling, Seth looked over at Patrick, "You've got three minutes, start talking!"

Projecting a aura of innocence, Patrick said, "I thought we could do this alone."

"You thought wrong!" Dean roared, stepping up next to Seth as his arm moved around his waist.

Shrugging, Patrick began to plead, "Seth, I know that I've done some awful things and that I let my temper get the best of me, but I just wanted you to know that I've been seeing someone; a therapist to help me deal with my anger issues."

"I hope for your sake that's true, but I don't see how this has anything to do with me," Seth stated.

"Sweet..." Patrick trailed off as Dean growled at him.  "Seth, I know I made a lot of mistakes, but you have to take some responsibility in this.  You just kept pushing me and pushing me until I snapped.  I think you have some issues that you need to deal with as well, starting with your over-the-top clinginess and I'm willing to help you work through them.  I'm asking you to come to couples counseling with me."

Seth's jaw dropped as he looked at him, unable to muster anything to say back to him, but Dean didn't have that problem, "You have got to be fucking kidding me!  Are you really that fucking deluded?  Let me spell it out for you: you screwed up and you lost out on one of the best people I've ever met.  You are not a couple, you won't be a couple at any time in the future.  Your fucked up version of a relationship is over and it's time you figured it out and moved on. I really hope that you are getting some help because I hate to think about someone else getting caught up in your delusions and your violence!"

With a steely stare, Patrick stepped up into Dean's face, "You stay the hell out of this! No one asked you what you think.  The only one deluded here is you, thinking that this thing between you two is anything more than Seth acting like the spoiled brat he's always been, trying to gain attention.  Before long you'd realize that and drop him the same way everyone else has.  He's lucky I'm still willing to work on this and accept him faults and all!"

The punch came faster than either Seth or Roman could get to him and Dean's fist rocked Patrick's jaw, sending him to his knees, "I warned you over and over again mother fucker: stay the hell away from Seth and keep his name out of your mouth starting now!"

Dean calmed down as Seth moved in front of him, his hands checking out Dean's hand for any damage.  Seth was pushed aside as Randy moved towards him, ready to lay his own punch on Dean, but this time Roman saw it coming and was able to block it.

"You've made a huge mistake!" Randy warned, stepping back as he took out his phone ready to dial the police as Patrick stood up, grabbing his jaw.

Furious, Seth spun on him, knocking it out of his hand, "The only mistake here is you still supporting everything this asshole does!  Get a clue Randy!  You're no more important to him than I was.  He'd sell your friendship down the river in a second if he thought it could benefit him in any way," he turned back to Patrick, "And as for you, I don't want your attention, I don't want your friendship or your fucked up version of love and I sure as hell am done with your fists and your control issues!  Stay away from me and stay away from Dean or I won't hesitate to make sure the media hears the true story about why we're no longer together and for the record, I was never your fiance!  You brought up marriage once, one time and then you never followed up on it.  There was no proposal, there was no ring and I had to be pretty fucking pathetic to believe that any of it ever meant a thing to you!"

"You know that's not true sweetheart!  I went out of my way to give you everything you could want and maybe we hadn't put the ring on yet, but we made a commitment to one another.  I don't remember you saying no when we had that talk; you were all in and we both knew that we were building the future that was best for us, our families and our businesses," Patrick hissed at him.

"Buying me gifts and apology flowers doesn't count as giving me everything!  You gave me none of the things that actually mattered: your love, your trust, your respect, comfort when I needed it and a ear when I had something to say.  It's funny because I didn't even realize what I was missing at the time, but now I've got it all with Dean and I can see just how much I was missing out on with you!  And as for not hearing me say no, well that's something you chose to do a lot wasn't it!" Seth shuddered as the words flew out of him.

Dean jumped as the last part of Seth's rant hit him, his eyes narrowing once again at Patrick as he moved forward, Roman grabbing his arms to restrain him, "Fuck, let me go Ro, I'll kill him!"

"Please!  You're just as pathetic as he is," Patrick sneered gesturing towards Seth.  "Maybe you two do deserve one another.  I'm not even sure why I've kept chasing after this trash, but my parents and his just won't let it go.  You can have him: he's not worth the bother and he was always a cold fish in bed anyways!" Patrick turned to leave, but he was stopped by Roman's punch into his midsection, once again driving him to his knees where Seth slapped him with enough force to drive his head to the side, Dean grinning at him from behind them.

Dean nodded at Roman and the pair drew back, leaving Seth to handle things on his own.

Seth stared down at Patrick, who was still breathing heavily after Roman's assault, "Pathetic...that's a good word because you're right, that's what I was when I was with you.  I sat back and I let you do anything you wanted.  I followed along meekly and put up with the hits and the emotional abuse because I thought that was all I was worth, I thought that was all I could have, all I deserved.  But I was wrong, so wrong!  I'm worth more than you could ever be and I'm trying, trying really hard to gain back my self respect and my confidence and all of the things that you stripped from me, but I'm getting there with Dean's help.  You're not there in my heart anymore, that pain is gone and after tonight you won't be in here anymore either!" Seth pointed at his head as he continued.  "I am happy and with or without Dean I know I can survive on my own now.  Pathetic: that's what you are.  Get out of here and don't bother ever stepping foot in here or anywhere else that I'm at!  If you're in the office visiting your father then walk the other way if you see me!  I won't hesitate to make things difficult for you if you come anywhere near Dean or I again!"  turning, Seth drew Dean and Roman back out of the room and into the kitchen, where he sat down at the table, trembling a bit.

Unable to watch him struggling, Dean pulled him up and over into his own lap, throwing his arms around him as he led Seth's head to his chest, "Shh baby, I've got you.  It's over alright?  You did so good out there, I am so fucking proud of you right now!"

"I'm pretty damn impressed myself Uce!  You put that bastard in his place and you left him speechless," Roman chimed in at their side.

"We're sorry we couldn't hold our tempers Princess," Dean pressed a kiss near his ear.

Seth shook his head, his weak voice just barely reaching their ears, "You were amazing, both of you.  Thank you for standing up for me.  When it counted, you both stepped back and let me handle it," Seth's hand moved up to play with Dean's curls at the nape of his neck.

"Anytime Uce, it was a pleasure," Roman gave him a little punch in his shoulder.

"Let's get out of here Princess," Dean pushed him back so he could look at him.

"I need a moment with my son," Seth's father's voice stated as he strolled back into the room.

Dean looked up, ready to rip into him, but Seth's hand covered his mouth, "It's okay D, can you guys just give us a minute?"

Dean looked at him questioningly, but seeing the certainty in his eyes, he reluctantly agreed, dragging Roman along with him.

...

Seth's father sat down across from him, the pair staring at each other for a few moments before his father began to talk, "I'm sorry that I didn't see how much he was hurting you. I really believed that you were overstating the violence."

Seth shook his head sadly, "He put me in the hospital and you still couldn't believe it?  Our biggest problem is that you don't listen to anything I have to say.  You still treat me like the child you raised, but instead of realizing that you taught me all of the things I needed to survive in the world, you act as if I didn't learn a damn thing!  I don't need you to run my life or make decisions for me.  I appreciate your advice when it comes to work, but beyond that I need you to keep your opinions to yourself!"

"You just don't understand son.  If you had kids of your own you would.  A parent's job is never done and if we can prevent our kids from making huge mistakes then that is what we need to do.  I made a mistake with Patrick.  I'm willing to admit that and apologize, but your pain is causing you to make even more bad decisions Seth.  This man is not right for you! You can do so much better son!" his father pleaded with him.

"I appreciate the apology, but it's a bit too little too late.  You know nothing about Dean or my relationship with him and if you keep acting like this, you never will!  I won't hesitate to cut you out of my life," Seth stood up.

"Sit down son, this conversation is not over!"

"Yes it is," Seth stated as he walked out.

...

Dean was pacing in the living room, muttering to himself as he went.

"D, you need to calm down.  Unlike Patrick, Seth's dad isn't going anywhere so you need to be able to coexist with him.  Let Seth handle this and just be there for him when this is over," Roman tried to calm him down.

"How the hell am I supposed to sit back and let him talk to Seth the way he does?  I can't do it Ro!" Dean's hands balled into fists.

"From what I've seen tonight, you already know when to step up and step back when it comes to my son," Seth's mom snuck up on both of them.

Dean stopped his pacing, looking over at her, "I didn't think you noticed."

"I've been watching you two all night.  There seems to be a lot of caring and love there.  I have a feeling that's something my son hasn't seen much of so I want to thank you for that," she said sincerely.

"You don't need to thank me for doing what comes naturally.  I love your son and he loves me," Dean stated.

Mrs. Rollins just nodded, "I can see that and I really am grateful that he has that."

"Yeah well, it's a shame that he ever thought he deserved any less," Dean snapped as Roman laid a hand on his arm to keep him in line.

"You're right and that is something that his father and I will have to live with," she said sorrowfully.

"I'm glad at least one of you sees the light," Seth quipped as he rejoined them, stopping to give his mother a hug.  "I know you mean well mom, but I hope you understand that until he can treat my boyfriend like a actual person, I just can't come around here."

"I do, but I hope that you won't cut us completely out of your life.  Give it time and a little distance.  For what it's worth, I am sorry that we were so caught up in our fantasy of your perfect life that we failed to see just how miserable you were and the danger you were in," Seth's mother pulled him in for another hug, giving him a kiss on his cheek, whispering to him.  "I love you baby, remember that."

"I know you do mom.  I know in his own way he does too, but this time he has to be the one to come to me.  I love you too," giving her one last squeeze, Seth drew back and turned to Dean and Roman.  "It's really time to go now."

...

The car trip back was pretty quiet as everyone was lost in their own thoughts and the events of the evening.  As Seth pulled back into his driveway, he turned to the back seat, "Ro, you're not going home right away, right?  You're welcome to spend the night in my guest room."

"Thanks Uce.  I'm going to take you up on that.  I booked a afternoon flight for tomorrow so I can still spend the weekend at home before I fly out for RAW," Roman explained.

Seth winced, "I'm sorry for dragging you away from them, even if it was only for one night."

Roman smiled at him, "Don't worry about it, man.  You two needed me and I was happy to be able to help.  Besides, that was quite a show you put on today and watching Dean pop that asshole and getting to join in made the whole trip worth it!"

As the three eyes caught one another, they all burst out into hysterical laughter, the car rocking as they let out all of their pent up tension.

As Seth wiped his eyes he managed to get out, "Th-th-thanks, I r-r-really needed that!"

"Anytime," Roman held out his fist, grinning as the other two raised theirs to his.  "You're one of us now Seth.  That means your family, which means I'm here for you, no matter when or where, just say the word."

Seth nodded at him, a bit teary-eyed, "You have no idea how much I appreciate that."

Roman smiled at him, "All I ask is that you just keep treating our boy here right."

Dean smirked at them, "Oh don't worry about that, he is!  Speaking of which, did you bring any ear plugs with you Ro?"

Roman peered at him quizzically, "No, why would I need...oh, fuck D!  I already told you, keep it to yourself man!"

As the trio exited the car, Roman and Dean continued to go back and forth as Seth chuckled to himself, content to just sit back and listen to the teasing, which seemed to be finely perfected after years of practice.

...

Seth had excused himself once they got inside, begging off on a movie.  Instead, he went upstairs and took a shower, wanting a little time alone to gather his thoughts and figuring that Dean could use some time with his best friend before he took off again.

He was curled up in bed unable to sleep a couple of hours later when the door creaked open and he could see Dean tiptoeing through, losing his shirt and pants on his way to the bathroom.

"You don't have to be quiet, I'm still awake," Seth whispered in the dark.

Dean grinned as he looked back at him, "Sorry, we got caught up talking after the movie.  Have you gotten any sleep?"

"No," Seth mumbled into his pillow.  "My mind is racing and I can't seem to shut it off."

"Give me a minute," Dean said as he disappeared in the bathroom.  Seth heard the water in the tub turn on and he found himself smiling, now aware of what Dean was up to.  Sure enough, moments later Dean appeared back in the doorway, his finger crooked at him, urging him to come join him.

Not having to be asked twice, Seth was up and losing his boxers along the way, climbing in the tub after Dean, whose arms were already open wide for him, "Love you," Seth murmured as he settled back against him, eyes closed.

"Love you too," Dean's arms tightened around him as he rested his own head back against the tub and closed his eyes.  "I was thinking I'd get us packed while you are at work tomorrow so let me know if there's anything in particular you want to bring along."

Seth giggled, "You just want to pick out my tightest clothes."

Dean shrugged,  "Well, yeah." he stated nonchalantly.

Seth snuggled even more into him, "I can't wait to just be away from here, just you and me."

"And Kevin," Dean pointed out.

Seth giggled again, "And Kev," he agreed.

Dean ran his hand through Seth's hair, letting the strands run through his fingers, "I'm in awe of you, you know?  You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for," his tone softened.

Opening his eyes, Seth leaned back, reaching up to grasp onto Dean's face, "You amaze me.  Just when I think I couldn't possibly feel any more for you, you go and do or say something that makes my heart burst all over again.  And any strength I possess is because you helped me discover it," Seth blushed, his eyes falling away from him as he continued on.  "I want to show you D, the way you showed me.  Can I...I mean would you let me...let me make love to you?" he murmured.

Dean's fingers drew his chin up, forcing him to meet his eyes head on, "Don't hide yourself away from me Princess.  I've told you time and time again that there's nothing wrong you can do here.  You can ask me anything you want, anytime you want," he brushed at the tears forming in Seth's eyes.  "It's been years since I've let anybody do that, mostly because it reminded me of the years I was a slave to the drugs.  I let people do things to me all in the name of getting my next fix and I never wanted to be that out of control again.  I've never been with someone I trusted that much, but I trust you Seth.  I want you to show me what it's like to be with someone I love who loves me back just the same."

"I do," Seth affirmed.

"I know you do," Dean leaned down, pulling him up for a gentle kiss.  "I think this weekend is going to be a turning point for both of us."

Grinning, Seth settled himself back in Dean's arms, "I think we can count on it."


	29. Chapter 29

After their bath, Seth had fallen right to sleep and he found himself laying there as his alarm went off.  He grinned as Dean began to stir, giving him a little push, "Go get ready Princess.  The sooner your work day is done, the sooner we can get going!"

Pulling himself away reluctantly, Seth zombie walked his way through his morning routine before heading downstairs to get breakfast ready.  He pulled up in the doorway of his kitchen as he observed the sight of stacks of food laid out across the table, Roman bustling around as he filled mugs of coffee and placed them beside the plates.

"Hey! What's this?" he asked, his voice still sleep-laden.

Roman grinned at him, "Just my way of thanking you for the place to crash last night Uce."

"No wonder Dean loves you so much!" Seth said as he took in the eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and pancakes that were littering the table.  "If you keep him fed like this all of the time, I'm surprised he didn't snatch you up as his husband before Galina had the chance!"

"I tried, but I think it was the boobs.  Big Dog here never could resist a good pair of them!" Dean quipped as he joined them, looking surprisingly awake for a change.  "Fuck Ro, are you feeding the neighborhood?"

Roman whacked him in the head, "I was hungry after my run this morning.  Couldn't decide what I wanted or what everyone would like so I decided to make a little of everything."

Seth's eyebrows rose at him, "Run?  How long have you been up?"

"Since about 4," Roman shrugged as he joined them at the table.

Dean downed half his coffee in a gulp before chiming in, "I can't sleep and this one passes out the second we hit a hotel room and then is up at the butt crack of dawn.  And he wonders why I end up disappearing on him.  I'm pacing the room and he's snoring loud enough to wake the city!"

Seth snorted as Roman whacked Dean again, "And you whine when I get up at 6:30!"

Dean glared at Roman, "See what you've started?"

Roman rolled his eyes at him, "I'm sure you'll get over it!"

Sliding back from the table, Seth shared, "Thanks for breakfast Ro, it was great!  I'm gonna go get my stuff together D, did you want to drive me or am I taking the car?"

Taking a moment out from his argument with Roman, Dean answered, "That depends, do you want to hit the road right after work or do you want to come back here and change first?"

Seth thought it over before answering, "I can change when we get to the hotel I guess.  I'd rather just get there and have some of the evening to enjoy.  Can you and Kev be packed up and just come get me?"

"Done!" Dean winked at him before turning back to trash talk Roman some more.

Upstairs, Seth could hear their teasing continue, making him smile.  He was happy that Dean had someone who supported him so completely in his life.  After grabbing his briefcase, Seth went over to his dresser, feeling around until he found what he was looking for. Taking a deep breath, he asked himself if he was doing the right thing, but as he heard Dean's voice booming up the stairs, he knew he was.

...

By the time Seth had made it back downstairs, Dean and Roman had cleared the table and Dean was telling Roman he'd wash the dishes after he got back from dropping Seth off.

Nodding, Roman shared that he was going to get going himself so he could make his flight.  After a quick hug with Seth, Roman pulled his best friend over, ruffling his hair as he told him to behave, but to enjoy his weekend.

Seth locked up as they headed to their separate cars, Roman yelling to Dean that he'd see him at their hotel in Maryland Monday afternoon.

The pair was silent on the trip over, but once they pulled up in front of Seth's office, he turned to Dean and asked if he could see the spare house key that Dean had been using all week.

Stumped, Dean handed it over only to find Seth suddenly pulling out a silver key ring that had three keys on it and handing it over to him, pocketing his spare key.

"Huh?" Dean asked as he looked at the keys laying in his palm.

"I thought you might like to have your own set.  There's one for the front and back doors and an extra set for the car," Seth ducked his head as he talked, afraid to see Dean's reaction.

Shaking his head at his actions, Dean reached out and forced him to look at him, "Didn't I ask you to stop hiding from me?  Does this mean what i think it does?"

Seth blushed but looked right at him as he answered, "I want you to know that you have a place here with me as long as you want it.  If you're able to, you're welcome here any time.  This way if you come in no matter the time of the day, you can let yourself in."

Dean had the beginnings of a smile on his face as he pushed a bit more, "Are you asking me to move in with you?"

Seth shrugged as he murmured, "It's probably way too soon for that, but I wouldn't be opposed to it.  I mean I want us to be able to spend as much time together as possible."

Dean let his grin come out as he smoothed his hand back through Seth's hair, pressing forward until their foreheads brushed, "Fuck that time bullshit.  We decide when it is or isn't too soon and I say that I want to be here with you as much as possible.  Maybe, maybe I can get you out to Vegas sometime soon, but this place here with you already feels like home."

"Really?" Seth ducked his head again, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Really," Dean confirmed, drawing him up for a gentle kiss.  "I'll get a set of keys to my home made for you as soon as possible.  I've got a house show on Wednesday, but I can fly to Vegas right after and pick up Blue and be here Thursday morning.  I want you to meet him and I want to see how he and Kev are going to get along.

Dean's heart clenched as Seth beamed at him, "I can't wait to meet your baby!"  Seth blushed again but still managed to get out, "Our own little ready-made family."

Dean leaned forward, stealing a quick kiss as he agreed, "Yeah, I guess it is.  Now you better get to work before your boss blows his top.  Let me know when I should come get you alright?"

Seth nodded as he closed his eyes and tilted up his lips waiting for another kiss.  Dean laughed as he leaned over and obliged him, gently pushing him out of the car, "Get going Princess!"

As he watched Seth bounce up the steps, Dean felt his chest clenching up, fuck, not now!

Looking around, Dean quickly pulled the car around to the back of the building and into a spot away from anyone else, turning off the car as he eased the seat back and tried to get his breathing under control.  Fuck, why couldn't he just handle his feelings like a normal person?

...

Seth could feel eyes on him from the moment he walked through the doors.  Although embarrassed, he forced himself to meet their eyes, surprised when many of his coworkers looked supportive, giving him little smiles.  Of course, many of them were still glaring at him, but he figured it wasn't as bad as he would have thought.

Letting himself into his office, he had taken to keeping the door locked at all times, he sat his work down and listened to his voice mail.  His secretary had left him some messages as well and he quickly shuffled through them. 

As he moved around, he went over to his window and opened the shades letting in some of the bright spring sun into the room.  As he looked outside, his eyes were drawn to the parking lot below him where the ducks who came from the pond nearby were gathered as always looking for some food scraps.

As he started to turn away, his eyes caught on a car parked at the back of the lot.  It looked a lot like his car and he had to take a second look.

Grabbing his phone, he dialed Dean's number, concerned when it kept ringing.  Hanging up, he tried again.  Even if Dean were driving, he usually always picked up and put him on speaker.

Finally, the ringing stopped and Seth could suddenly here some movement and then heavy breathing.

_Babe?  Is everything alright?  I was just looking out my window and I swear I see my car in the back lot.  Did you stop off for something?_

Seth frowned as the silence on the line continued.  He jumped as he could suddenly hear some gasping and then a thump.  He was just about to rush downstairs when finally, his boyfriend answered him.

_S-s-s-orry, t-t-t-ooooo m-m-m-uch.  P-panic..._

Instantly, Seth realized what was happening.  He quickly began to try to talk Dean down.

_Shh babe, it's okay, alright?  I'm right here.  Do you want me to come downstairs?_

_No!_

_Okay, okay D, but can you roll down the window so I can see you?  I'm on the fourth floor, third window from the left._

Seth watched as the window in his car slowly opened and then he could see Dean's face peaking out searching for him.  He nodded as he saw Dean still, clearly having found him.

_Good D, now can you just lay back down and breathe with me, alright?  In and out, in and out.  Can you close your eyes and just think of somewhere calming, somewhere you feel safe.  Now just breathe._

Inside the car, Dean had begun to calm down the second he'd heard Seth's voice, but he did as he asked, letting himself think about being in his arms.  As he began to breathe normally, he focused back in on his boyfriend's words.

_Sorry babe, I shouldn't have laid all that on you when I had to leave you right away.  I should have waited until later._

Dean took a deep breath, making sure he was under control before he cut him off.

_Shh, hey Seth, it's okay.  I just got a bit overwhelmed, alright?  It wouldn't have mattered when we had this talk, I still would have probably reacted this way.  You know feelings scare me and the only way I know how to deal with that is to work myself up over it.  Don't feel bad about our talk because I sure as hell don't.  I am so happy right now Princess, even if it may not seem like it.  The thought of being able to come home to you every day is amazing.  Sometimes it just takes a minute for my brain to catch up and let me be happy._

_If you're sure that you are okay Dean.  I can be down there with you in a minute._

_No, you need to go do your work.  I'll be fine.  I'm going to take a minute and then I'll head back home, alright?_

_That sounds really good._

_What's that?_

_Home, our home, together._

_Fuck, you're right, it does!  Okay Princess, get back to doing lawyer stuff and I'll go get us packed up._

_Hey D..._

_Yeah?_

_I love you._

_I love you too Princess._

Seth grinned as Dean sat up, looking back up at him and blowing him a kiss.

_Remember to pack me some actual clothes babe!_

_We'll see..._

_Dean!_

_Bye Princess!_

Seth huffed as Dean hung up on him, giving a little wave out the car window before pulling it back up and then easing out of his spot and taking off.

Turning back to his desk, Seth couldn't wipe the grin off of his face.  His boyfriend was a hand full, but he wouldn't have it any other way!


	30. Chapter 30

"I have to say I'm disappointed in you Seth.  I thought you'd want to be right in the middle of this," Mr. Meyers shook his head at him.

Seth frowned as he looked down at the floor.  He should have known that somehow his weekend away would end up interfering with some plan his boss would have for him.

Still, he had been taken by surprise when his boss had shown up, offering him a chance to work side by side with him on a upcoming big case.  Although Seth was instantly on board, his enthusiasm had waned when he realized he wanted him to spend the weekend at the offices with him.

"I'm sorry sir, but I'm going to be out of town this weekend in Moline.  My trip has already been booked: the hotel, the hiking trip, dinner reservations, the whole nine yards.  There's no way I can reschedule at this point and to be honest, my boyfriend will be back out on the road on Monday," Seth tried to explain.

His boss eyed him appraisingly, "Alright.  I'm going to have to bring Ted in on this instead then.  I'll let you know if there's some way you can be involved down the line.  I get that this is something you can't get out of at this point, but I do hope that this isn't going to become a regular thing.  I've noticed that you've been leaving earlier and earlier all week.  Don't let this relationship of yours push you off the track that you are on.  As you know, partner spots are hard to come by and I'd hate to see you do anything to hurt your chances.  Enjoy your trip Seth," with a nod, he'd slipped out of his office.

Sighing, Seth slumped into his chair.  After his trip, he was going to need to get his head back into the game.  Although he knew that his relationship with Dean wasn't affecting his ability to do his work, eyes were going to be on him for awhile and he was going to need to prove himself all over again.

Looking at the clock, he gave another sigh.  He'd been planning on getting out of here at 4, but he knew he needed to at least stay another hour and maybe work ahead on some case files before he took off. 

Grabbing his phone, he shot a quick text to Dean, who sent him back what was probably supposed to be a unhappy face, but Dean being Dean, ended up just being a line and some squiggles.  Giggling, Seth took a deep breath; he could do this.

...

An hour later, Seth made his way out the front doors into the still bright sun, which was already staying out later and later as the month wore on.  Taking a minute to lean back and enjoy it, Seth let all of the tension of the last few days roll off of him. 

Nodding to himself, he took off down the stairs and to his car, laughing as he saw Kevin's head sticking out of the passenger window, barking as soon as he saw him, "Hey boy, you ready for a adventure?" Seth leaned over, petting him gently before opening the door and pushing him into the back seat.

With a grin, he slid into his seat as Dean leaned over for his kiss, "How was your day?  Anyone give you a rough time?"

Seth shrugged, his face falling a bit, "Got some glares, but there were others who were pretty supportive.  Kind of got on my boss' bad side when he realized I wasn't available this weekend, but enough about work.  I think I remember making you a promise at the start of the week that this weekend would be all yours and that's the way it's going to be!"

Dean's hand came up to stroke his cheek as he smirked at him, "So I'm shit at the whole GPS thing, so I'm counting on you to get us where we need to go."

Seth laughed as he hooked his phone up to his speakers and put in their destination, "It's really not that complicated D!  Luckily, we're only about 20 minutes out from the bed and breakfast."

Dean had left the booking to Seth since he knew the area, but he was pretty excited to see the inn that Seth was so keen on.  Seeing his boyfriend so happy made him happy.

Seth relaxed back as he listened to the hum of the radio and enjoyed the warm breeze flowing through the car.  He giggled as Kevin came bounding up, settling in his lap and promptly falling asleep.

Despite hitting a little bit of traffic, they pulled up in front of the place pretty quickly, Seth taking joy in how Dean's face lit up as he looked out at the old-fashioned brick building and how it overlooked the Mississippi River.

He reached over and squeezed his hand as Dean turned to him with a wink, "You did good Princess!" as he leaned over for a kiss.

With a smile, Seth pulled back and got out of the car, still holding on to the sleeping Kevin, who gave a snort as he was jostled, making them both laugh.

Turning to Seth, Dean told him to go get them checked in while he grabbed the bags.  While in there, Seth learned that if they hurried and got settled in, they could just make the dinner being served down in the community dining room.

By the time he turned around, Dean and their luggage had made it inside and the pair made their way up the stairs to their room with their private bath and balcony.  With a groan, Dean let all the bags fall to the floor before he grabbed Seth's hand and began to explore, both impressed with the size of the tub in their bathroom and the view from the balcony.

Seth got rid of his suit jacket and tie as Dean pulled out one of the dress shirts he'd stolen from Roman.  Seth smirked at him as he paired it with what he considered his "dressy" jeans.

Cocking a eyebrow at him Dean asked, "What?  Not fancy enough?"

Seth laughed, "It's perfect D.  Just admiring the view."

Still laughing, Seth took Dean's outstretched hand as they locked up the room, leaving Kevin to explore as they headed down for dinner.

They were both shocked at the amount of food that the family who owned the place had laid out for the guests.  They grabbed a bit of everything, sharing liberally from one another's plates, thanking their hosts as the husband/wife team came by to introduce themselves.

With so few guests staying there, they informed them that there were a number of activities they could come down and participate in from gaming hour in the rec room to walks through the massive garden out back to movie nights in their living room.  Thanking them, the pair shared a look, both knowing that they probably wouldn't be spending much time outside of their room.

Sitting back and letting their food digest for a bit, they listened to the staff piano player as he moved through some standards and discretely took in the view of the other guests, both amused when they realized one older couple were glaring at them, while another younger couple were smiling back at them.

"I wonder how many gay couples they actually see around here," Seth said, looking back over at his boyfriend.

"Probably more than you'd think judging by how they didn't bat a eye when we checked in, but I'm betting Ma and Pa Kettle over there have never seen one of our species!" Dean quipped, making Seth choke on the wine he'd just taken a sip of.

Mock glaring at him, he got himself under control, "Be nice D!"

"Me?" Dean's eyes widened at him dramatically.  "I'm always nice!"

"Uh huh, sure you are!" Seth rolled his eyes.

He had to fight a smile though as Dean suddenly became overly affectionate, sliding his chair closer to his as he raised a napkin, dabbing at Seth's cheek before grabbing for one of his hands as he played with his fingers in full view on the table.  With his other hand, he reached up to smooth Seth's hair back.

"Are we really trying to antagonize our house mates this soon?" Seth asked amused by Dean's actions.

Dean shrugged, "Figure we better get them used to it sooner, rather than later, right?"

Shaking his head, Seth stood up, pulling Dean to his feet with him, "Come on, let's go enjoy our balcony view!"

...

Back in their room, Seth grabbed his light jacket so he could go take Kevin out to the designated pet area before they settled in for the evening, pleased when Dean was grabbing his own jacket to come with them.

Downstairs, they held hands as they watched Kevin run around before doing his business.  Quickly cleaning up, the trio made their way back to their room, getting stopped along the way by various guests who were won over by Kevin's adorableness; the little guy soaking up all of the attention.

Once back in their room, both Dean and Seth stripped down out of their clothes, grabbing some t-shirts and sweats before grabbing a blanket off the couch in their sitting room and heading out to the balcony, Kevin at their heels.

They moved their chairs as close together as they could as they curled up against each other, draping the blanket over them.  Sighing, Seth felt himself drifting in and out, soaking up the relaxing closeness and quietness of the evening; the only sound Kevin's snores beneath them and the chirping of crickets coming from the woods behind them.

"I don't think I've ever been this still before," Dean whispered, afraid to break the tranquility around them.

"Mmm, is that a good or a bad thing?" Seth murmured.

"Good, I think," Dean answered, making Seth snort adorably.

"God, I love you!" he said, pressing his lips against Dean's throat. 

"Yeah?" Dean nipped back at him.

"Yeah..." Seth's voice trailed off as his arms moved up Dean's back lazily.

"Good thing I love you too then, isn't it?" Dean gave him a squeeze as his lips trailed along his ear.

"Very," Seth gave a little moan.

"I want to make love to you Princess," Dean lips tickled his ear, making Seth shiver.

"Yes!" Seth gave another moan and then a gasp as Dean stood up, picking him up bridal style, still draped in the blanket as he nudged Kevin to follow them as he carried Seth to the bed, depositing him gently before going back to lock up.  Turning back to Seth he pointed at him, "Stay right there baby and I will get our boy fed and taken care of."

Seth gave him a little salute as he stayed draped where he was, letting his heart rate slow back down.  Of course that only lasted a few minutes before Dean was back, his hand traveling up Seth's legs as he crawled onto the bed next to him, a tube of lube coming down to lay on the pillow next to him.

Giving into his desire, Seth helped Dean get rid of their clothes before pulling him down to him, "Been thinking about this ever since the other night. Love the way you feel above me D!"

"How about below you?" Dean winked at him as he dived down, spreading Seth's ass cheeks as he dove right on in.

"Fuck!" Seth screamed.

...

Much later, Seth was sprawled out on his back, Dean laying on his stomach next to him passed out.  Seth was absentmindedly running his fingers in circles across Dean's back as he listened to him breathe.

He could feel a flush working over his body as he thought about how Dean had rolled him over on all fours, taking him from behind as he gripped the weighty headboard above them, practically bending Seth in half as he pulled him up and his face around for a kiss.  Dean had controlled his breathing along with his thrusts, making Seth's head spin as he was deprived of oxygen. 

By the time his orgasm hit him, he'd blacked out with a undignified squeal, coming to with Dean's panicked face peering at him, asking him if he was okay.

He'd opened his mouth to answer, but instead he'd collapsed in peals of laughter, causing Dean to relax and fall down next to him, joining him in his madness with a smug grin, "I'm the best you've ever had, aren't I?"

Seth had rolled his eyes, "Yes D, you're number one!"  He snorted as Dean had lifted his arms in the air in triumph, shaking the bed as he did his dorky robot dance.

Seth hadn't known that he could have this much fun in bed.  He'd never been with someone who could make him laugh in the middle of sex, who could make him feel this open or this relaxed.  He never imagined he could have this much room in his heart, but everyday he was falling more and more in love with the man next to him.

"You're thinking too loud Princess, go to sleep!" Dean's muffled voice suddenly rang out next to him.

Seth gave him a little shove, "Shut up!  My mind's just coming down from everything."

Rolling over to look at him, Dean threw up his hands in exasperation, "Alright, alright, you don't have to beg me!  If I have to dick you down a bit more so you can sleep, then that's what I'll do."

Seth collapsed in giggles next to him, "Oh, the hardship!"

Dean nodded at him solemnly, "That's how much I love you," his serious expression made Seth laugh even harder, but his laughter became a gasp as Dean suddenly jumped him, turning himself around so that he was over the top of Seth's cock, his own facing Seth's mouth.  Dean looked back at him and quirked an eyebrow at him, "Up for some 69'ing?

Seth gulped, his voice coming out raspy, "Uh, y-ya, I mean yes, let's do this!"

Seth jumped as Dean plunged down on him with no warning, his warm mouth enveloping his head, precum already beginning to gather.

Not to be outdone, Seth moved the pillows up behind him, giving him a better angle as he drew Dean's cock down, his tongue reaching out and licking around the edges before closing around his tip.

As he inched his way downwards, he used his hands to stroke whatever he couldn't reach, Dean's mouth stuttering around his own cock, causing Seth to jump.

Dean began to deep throat him, the slick slide in and out of his throat giving him the delicious burn he craved.  Seth couldn't quite repay the favor in his position, but he pulled out every trick he knew to get Dean to his edge, his tongue swirling around him, making Dean dizzy.

Determined to make Seth let go first, Dean increased his rhythm, but Seth was ready for him, reaching over to the side table and fumbling around until he found their bottle of lube, popping the top off and pouring some in his palm before rubbing it into his fingers. 

Just when he didn't think he could hold on much longer, Seth slowed Dean down as he trailed a finger below Dean's balls and across the rim of his ass.

Dean drew back, breathing heavily as he looked down at him, "Fuck Princess!"

Seth blushed, "Is this okay?" he asked uncertainly.

Dean just stared at him in awe, "Put them in me baby!  I want to feel you."

Reassured by the look on Dean's face, Seth continued his exploration, pushing his finger inside slowly as Dean tried to adjust to him.  Seth began to swirl his finger around slowly, watching as Dean's discomfort started to bleed into something else altogether, tipping right over into lust as he he brushed his prostate.

Nodding at him as Seth moved another finger inside of him, Dean took a deep breath before getting back to sucking Seth's dick.  The feel of him twitching in his mouth as his own cock swelled in Seth's mouth, combined with the feel of his boyfriend exploring where few had gone before, pushed Dean into his climax, his body shaking and setting Seth off into his own orgasm. 

The pair swallowed as much cum as they could before collapsing against one another, Seth slowly pulling his fingers away from him and tentatively bringing them to his own mouth lapping at them as Dean's wide eyes watched every move.

"Fuck baby!  Do you know how hot you are right now?"

Seth shook his head, "You are!  Watching you take my cock and my fingers at the same time, I just about died!"

"Well at least we would have went together!" Dean laughed, shaking the bed as he rolled onto his back, drawing Seth over to his chest.  "That was fucking amazing Princess.  I was ready to beg you for your cock."

"Really?" Seth seemed pleased by his words.

"Really," Dean confirmed.  "I want you to do it Seth.  I want to feel you moving inside of me, giving me everything you have."

Seth kissed his chest, "So will you let me make love to you before we leave here?"

"I think we can work that in," Dean laughed.  "And on another note, do you think you can sleep now?"

Seth giggled, "Are you kidding me?  My heart is racing like a racehorse right now."

Dean huffed and puffed as he stood up and threw Seth over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, "Bath time!  Oh the things I do for you Princess!"

Their laughter echoed through the room, rousing Kevin from his slumber as he whined and then rolled back over, dead to the world once again.

 


	31. Chapter 31

Seth found himself waking up early as he rolled over to look at the clock, suddenly remembering that he wasn't at home and that he was on vacation. He grinned as Dean's arms tightened around him.

He gently pried them off of him and slowly slid from under the covers as he heard Kevin whining and walking around in the sitting room.  He grabbed the sweats and t-shirt Dean had taken off of him and thrown on the floor and put on his jacket before taking his dog outside for his morning walk.

As he let himself back into their room, he was relieved to find Dean still asleep.  He quickly fed Kevin before sliding his clothes off and climbing back into bed, grinning as Dean immediately let go of the pillow he'd been curling around to pull Seth back into his arms, "Too early...sleep!" he mumbled before going back to snoring.

Not needing to be told twice, Seth did just that, enjoying a chance to sleep in for once.  A couple of hours later, it was Dean who began to stir first, his stomach rumbling as he rolled over onto his back, hand lazily moving over his face.

His movement roused Seth, who immediately scooted over to sprawl across his chest, "S'nice," he murmured, Dean having to strain to hear him.

"It is,' Dean confirmed as his hand rubbed over his back.  "I wish we could do this more often, but I guess we'll have to take advantage of every chance we get to stay in bed longer."

"Mhmm," Seth agreed.  "We should probably go down and grab some breakfast before we head out to hike."

"Or we can have something brought up," Dean mused.

"I like the way you think!" Seth poked him in the side as Dean squirmed away.  "I'm really not ready to get up yet."

In response, Dean reached over to the side table and grabbed the phone and the menu that had been left there for them.  Rearranging the pillows behind them, Dean sat up against the headboard, drawing Seth back with him, "What is my Princess in the mood for this morning?"

Seth blushed, giving Dean another poke, "Biscuits and gravy sounds good and maybe some eggs."

"Yeah, looks like there is a breakfast special, eggs, pancakes, biscuits, bacon and sausage...sounds like a plan to me," Dean read from the menu.

Seth nodded, "Perfect."

As Dean made the call and put in their order, Seth made him jump as he began to trail kisses down Dean's throat and chest, stopping to ravish his nipples with his tongue.  Hanging up, Dean reached down and forcefully pulled his head up, taking his mouth in a desperate kiss, "Not fair getting me all hot and bothered like that baby.  I might have had to fuck you over the speaker and give our hosts a heart attack!" he said casually, Seth's eyes getting wide at the thought.

"Damn Seth, you're kinkier than I thought!" Dean's lips vibrated against his ear, making him shiver.

Suddenly pulling back, Seth looked down at him, his mind clearly thinking hard about something.  Reaching up, Dean knocked his knuckles on the side of his head, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Seth blushed, but made himself answer, "I was just thinking about what you said to me when I found the cuffs.  You said that you weren't into the hardcore stuff anymore, but that there were still some things you enjoyed.  I was just wondering what kinds of things," Seth dropped back down, burying his face in Dean's chest again.

Dean had to bite back a sarcastic reply, sure that Seth was expecting a serious answer.  Thinking for a minute, Dean began to talk, "Well obviously a little light bondage.  I enjoy tying or cuffing my partner and having my way with them, but I also enjoy it the other way around too, with certain conditions.  I've done the whole BDSM thing and although I'm sure everyone thinks I'd be into it, it really never held much weight or satisfaction for me, but I'm down with a little bit of spanking.  There's some toys I enjoy using and although I'm not looking to have sex in front of anyone, I do enjoy doing it in semi-public places."

"Oh," Seth said in a tiny voice. 

Concerned, Dean raised his chin so he could look at him, "Hey, tell me what you're thinking," he urged.

Seth trembled as he shared, "I'm afraid that I won't be able to give you what you need."

"You already do Princess," Dean said with fervor, wincing as a knock came at the door, interrupting him.  "Hold that thought," he said as he rose, grabbing his pants and opening the door to get their food, wheeling the tray over to the bed. 

Sitting down on the edge of the bed as Seth drew himself up against the headboard, Dean looked at him, making sure he was paying attention to him before he began to speak, "I already told you this, but I guess it bares repeating: you are everything I've ever wanted Seth.  You make me feel like no one else ever has.  You give me all of your love and you make me feel like I'm worthy of it.  You blow me away with how open and honest you are and in case you haven't noticed, I'm so fucking attracted to you baby that I'm surprised I'm able to walk around without a permanent hard-on," Dean smirked as Seth rolled his eyes at him.  "I know that you were uncomfortable with the cuffs and that's okay Princess.  I already told you that if it's not fun for you, then it won't be any fun for me either."

"But you like that stuff and I've never done anything like that.  What if you get bored with me?" Seth made himself maintain eye contact.

"Not gonna happen baby!  If you want to try anything then we will and if you don't then we won't and if we try something and you want to stop or you never want to do it again, that's alright with me.  Hell, maybe there's some things you want to try that I haven't; we can figure it out as we go.  Tell me, what in my list of things do you think you can't provide?"

Seth winced as he looked at him, "All of it!  I don't know babe, I just don't want to disappoint you."

"First of all, you already had sex with me in my locker room baby.  You were fucking brilliant too!  I'd like to maybe revisit the cuffs down the line, but I already told you that I have no problem with you using them on me.  The spanking is not something that I need and it's definitely not something I would ever think about bringing into our bedroom so don't even worry about that one!  And maybe we can pick out some toys together sometime if you're willing to try something new," Dean explained.  "At the end of the day, all I need is you Seth."

Staring at him for a minute, Seth seemed to come to some type of decision as he scooted forward, straddling Dean's lap and kissing his forehead, "Alright.  All I need is you too.  I'd, I'd like to try with the cuffs, but I can't promise anything.  Maybe, maybe we could go to that store together sometime and you can show me what you like and I can see if it's something I'd like."

"Done!" Dean kissed his cheek.

Dean grinned as Seth flushed, looking down again as he whispered, "I liked being with you in the locker room.  I don't think I'd have a problem trying in other places sometime."

"See Princess: you are perfect for me!  Now, let's get some food in you." Dean picked him up off of his lap and deposited him next to him as they pulled the tray to the end of the bed, happily sharing food back and forth.

Both were lost in thoughts about the surprises they had planned for the other one.

...

After sharing a quick shower, the pair put on some shorts and some tank tops, Seth laughing as Dean once again forced one of his merch shirts on him.  After hooking Kevin to his leash, they headed out for their hike.

Downstairs, Seth stopped off at the small gift shop set up in the lobby of the inn, grabbing some waters to dump in their water bottles and some light snacks to go in the small backpacks they were bringing along that included a pet water bottle for Kevin and some pet treats.

They then set off for the five minute walk to the trails that helped make up the Great River Trail that ran through most of the State.  Seth had hiked through a portion of it before with his friends, but he was eager to explore some of the dog-friendly paths with Dean.

It was a beautiful late April day and all three of them were enjoying the bright sun as they made their way further down the trail.  As they came to a split, Seth explained about how some of the trail used to be old railway trails, immediately turning down that way when he saw how Dean's eyes brightened at the news.

Walking along hands clasped between them, Seth and Dean just took in the view and enjoyed the developing spring flowers and greenery that were sprouting up everywhere.  As they came up on the visitor center, Seth gave a happy squeal, "We have to stop and check out the exhibits!"

Dean gave a snort, but followed along, content to let his boyfriend enjoy his "historical" time.  Inside, the pair wandered around, stopping now and again as people asked to pet Kevin.  Before they left, Seth stopped one of the other hikers and had them snap a picture of them in front of the building.

After hitting the trail again, they wandered along until they came to the wetland area, finding a bench to take a rest for a bit as Dean snapped some pics and Seth treated Kevin.  After downing some water for themselves, they headed back the way they came, eventually making their way back to the riverfront near the inn.

Taking a seat on a bench, Dean drew Seth into his arms as Kevin jumped up and slid into Seth's lap.

"Thanks for the idea of coming here baby.  That was a great way to spend such a nice day," Dean said, leaning his head back with his eyes closed.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Seth took his hand in his own, playing with his fingers.  "I've done the trail on a different end with some friends, but I've always wanted to bring Kev out.  I know it wasn't all that physically demanding, but maybe we can check out some of the tougher areas by ourselves sometime."

Dean nodded, "This was perfect.  I'm glad we were able to bring our boy with us too.  Maybe later in the summer we can come back with Blue and hit up that picnic area; maybe do some barbecuing?"

"I like the sound of that," Seth confirmed.  "So, I made reservations for dinner for us at 8, so what should we do until then?"

Dean grinned, "Actually, we've got plans.  Let's get Kevin set up back in our room and we can go."

Seth leaned back, looking at him speculatively, "We do?"

"Yep," Dean smirked at him, reaching back and giving his butt a little whack.  "Let's get going Princess!"

...

Seth was surprised when Dean wanted to take another shower when they got back to the room, urging Seth to change into another pair of shorts and yet another one of Dean's shirts.  Going with the flow, he did just that, surprised when they headed downstairs and Dean led them to his car. 

"We're driving?" he asked.

"Yep, but it's not very far at all," Dean confirmed, jumping back behind the wheel.

Sure enough, moments later they were pulling up in front of a small building set back in the woods.  Seth looked at the sign and then back at Dean in surprise, "A spa?"

Dean grinned at him, "I was thinking that after our hike, in addition to the stressful week that it's been, that it would be nice to sit back and relax for a bit."

Seth nodded slowly, "Okay."

Dean's face fell hearing his hesitation, "I just wanted to pamper you: is that okay?"

Seth frowned, reaching out to him, "No, babe it's great.  It's just, are we talking about getting a couple's massage because I'm not sure how I feel about a stranger touching me."

Dean's smile came back as he reached out his hand to him, "Trust me?"

"With my life," Seth answered without hesitation, causing Dean's heart to stutter, but he firmly took his hands and walked him inside, checking in with the secretary, who sent them down to one of the rooms with a sly grin, "Enjoy yourselves boys!"

Inside the room, massage tables set up, Seth shifted around nervously, not wanting to screw up Dean's romantic gesture, but also not sure he could go through with this.  Hearing Dean suddenly behind him turning the lock on the door, he turned around confused, "What are you doing?"

Dean smirked at him as he bowed down at him, "Dean Ambrose, massage extraordinaire at your service."

Brain not catching up, all Seth could mutter was, "Huh?"

Dean laughed at his expression, "I booked the room for us for a couple of hours.  Sometimes my star power comes in handy.  A few autographs and a little extra cash made sure that we get left alone to do what we want."

Seth's eyes widened as things began to click, "No masseuses?"

"Nope, now strip and get up on the table baby!" Dean smacked it for emphasis after laying down a towel.

Seth giggled as he moved forward into Dean's arms, tilting up for a kiss, "Thank you babe!"

Dean snagged a kiss of his own before wandering around the room, turning on the background radio and finding some massage oils.  With a grin, he picked up a lighter and lit a couple of candles and then turned out the lights before turning back to Seth, who had stretched out on his stomach, his perky ass pointed right at Dean, who had to subtly adjust himself as he headed over to him.

Lifting his head to look back at him, Seth bossily demanded, "Strip!"

Dean smirked, "I didn't know that the masseuse had to be naked too."

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, "The customer is always right, now hop to it!"

Holding his hands up in surrender, Dean teasingly drew off his clothes, Seth's eyes glued to him the whole time before dropping back down with a sigh as Dean moved behind him, slowly beginning to work his hands across his back as Seth sighed, "Feels so good babe."

Deciding he wanted more of Seth's skin against his, Dean drew himself up on the table straddling Seth as he really began to work his hands into his muscle tissue, starting with his neck and back and working down from there, slowly working in the massage oil as he went. 

Dean had to adjust himself again at Seth's moans and laughed as Seth began to writhe against the table, clearly trying to appease his own hardening dick, "Fuck baby, turn over!"

Seth hurried to comply, moaning again as Dean's hands began to move across his shoulders and chest and then down his stomach and legs, avoiding the one part of him that was most looking for relief, "Please D, touch me!"

"I am touching you Princess," Dean whispered in his ear, his tongue teasing him.

Thrusting up at him, Seth groaned as Dean moved back to avoid him, "D, stop teasing me!"

"What do you want baby?  Want me to fuck you through this table; drive my dick so hard and so fast into you that you'll still be feeling it tomorrow?" Dean's voice dripped with lust as he looked down at him.

"Yes!" Seth gasped.  "Please babe, give it to me!"

Throwing some of the oil onto his cock, Dean hastily worked a couple of fingers into him as Seth pushed back at them, his begging getting louder.  Unable to wait any longer, Dean pulled his legs up around his waist as he drove into him, Seth's momentary pain quickly switching to pleasure as Dean pounded his prostate, the table shaking and sliding with their thrusts.

Seth gave a little scream as he went over the edge, barely there as Dean continued to work himself up to his own climax, howling as he flooded Seth's channel before collapsing onto him, their legs and arms, hanging off of the table as they tried to catch their breath.

Rousing himself, Dean used the last of his energy to stand up and swing his boyfriend into his arms, carrying him over to another door and into the steam room, bringing a couple more towels with them as he settled Seth down on one before turning the steam on and settling down next to him.

"I don't think I've ever been this relaxed before!" Seth mumbled as he slumped against his shoulder.

"Ditto," Dean agreed.  "So the massage was good?"

"Perfect!  I mean if you need something to fall back on after wrestling...but no happy endings for anyone else! That's exclusively reserved for me," Seth lifted his head, mock glaring at him to Dean's amusement.

They rested for a bit before Dean decided they'd had enough, drawing Seth up and holding him for a minute as he caught his balance.

"Alright Princess, ready to go?"

Seth just took his hand and lead them out to their clothes before heading back to the car.

...

Back at their room, Seth helped Dean pick out a nice shirt and pants before putting on his own.

He ran Kevin outside quickly before they headed out for dinner, Seth's heartbeat racing in anticipation.

This time, he slid into the driver's seat taking them over to the steakhouse he'd made reservations at.

With a grin, he pulled in and went around the car, taking Dean's hand as he led them around back to a dock/ beach area, Dean looking at him quizzically, "Where are we going Princess?"

"You'll see," he said with a sly smile.

Dean gasped as they headed down a set of stairs to a private dining area that was now set up exclusively for two.

Looking over at his boyfriend, he asked, "Did you set this up?" 

Seth nodded shyly, "I wanted to do something for you to show you how much I love you and appreciate everything you've done for me."

Kissing his knuckles, Dean let him lead them to the candlelit table, a waiter handing them a menu as he placed a beer in front of Dean and poured some wine for Seth.

Dean grinned as music began to play from a speaker above them and he looked out at the water, "It's perfect baby!"

With a grin Seth winked at him, "The evening has just begun."

 

 


	32. Chapter 32

"That was amazing!" Dean said sitting back as he dabbed at his mouth with his napkin.  He had ate every bite of their elaborate four-course meal, laughing as Seth pushed away part of his plate.

"It was, but you're going to have to roll me out of here!" Seth moaned.

"I think you'll survive," Dean nudged his leg with his own.  "We can work off some of that food now if you're up for it."

"Up for what?" Seth asked hesitantly.

Dean just stood up and held out his hand, Seth taking it automatically as Dean asked, "Can I have this dance?"

With a shy grin, Seth nodded as he let Dean lead him over to the side, taking him in his arms as they began to sway along with the soft music filtering through the speakers.

Seth giggled as Dean's foot tangled with his own, causing Dean to begin to tickle his sides, "Not funny Princess!  Making fun of a guy's dancing deficiency's."

Seth schooled his face as he answered solemnly, "You're right, I'm sorry for calling attention to your problem.  Some people just aren't that graceful."

"Haha, very funny!  I'll show you," Dean tightened his grip on him as he dipped him gently, pulling him back into his arms with a grin before twirling him out and back with a wink.

Dean's eyes widened as Seth began to cackle before letting out a undignified snort, "Oh Princess, you've been holding out on me!  I had no idea you were even dorkier than I thought!"

Seth's eyes narrowed at him with the words, moving back to punch him but Dean was letting go and jogging away from him, taking off down the next row of stairs out onto the beach below.

"Oh it's on!" Seth bellowed, quickly taking off after him and launching himself at him from the bottom stair.  Luckily, Dean was ready for him, catching him before he could take them both out and spinning him around.

As he went to set him down, Seth used his momentum to push him down, sprawling over top of him as they hit the sand and Seth threw his head back laughing with abandon.

Watching him with a smile, Dean reached up and pulled his face down to his so he could reach his lips, taking them in a sloppy kiss as they knocked teeth.  Pulling back, they took a second to adjust before trying again, making out for a few minutes to the sound of the lapping waves.

Feeling Seth give a little shiver, Dean pulled back, "Cold baby?"

Seth nodded, "A bit, yeah."

Dean pushed at him, taking Seth's hand as they stood up and walked back up to their table where Dean grabbed Seth's jacket and put it on him.  They sat back down and finished their drinks before signalling one of their waiters so Seth could pay the bill.  Happy with the setup, Seth left a large tip as the pair got up and headed back to the car.

As Seth slid his seat belt on, Dean reached out and grabbed his other hand, "Thanks for that baby.  That was really nice."

Seth leaned over for a chaste kiss as he said, "You're welcome.  I guess we both had our surprise for the day, huh?"

Dean grinned, "Yeah, it was a great day.  One of the best I've ever had."

Blushing, Seth responded, "Well it can get even better."

Knowing where he was going, but wanting to hear it from his lips, Dean played dumb, "How's that?"

Knowing what he was doing, Seth smirked as he leaned forward and whispered along his ear, "I want to make love to you.  I want to give you the same amazing feeling that you give me."

Dean melted at the words, his whole body trembling with anticipation, "Fuck Princess, you better get a move on getting us back to the inn or I'm going to throw myself at you right here."

Seth's eyes went glassy for a moment as he thought about it, but he gave himself a shake, forcing himself to turn around and pull back out on the road as Dean snickered next to him.

...

Back at the inn, the pair quickly made their way up to their room, practically running through the lobby and up the stairs.  Dean groaned as they stepped inside and Kevin met them, eager to go for a walk.

"Okay Kev, I'll take you out in one minute, alright?  And you," Seth pointed at Dean.  "You go run us a bath," he said with authority.

Dean saluted him as he marched off to the tub as Seth grabbed Kevin's leash and set off downstairs with him. 

As he re-entered the room, he grinned at the rush of steam flooding out into the room from the bathroom, "Make it hot enough babe?" he shouted across the room as he took off his jacket and grabbed some food to feed the dog. 

Dean stuck his head out of the room, "I wanted it hotter, but it'll have to do," he said with a shrug, moving across the doorway stark naked, making Seth gulp as he almost dropped the container of food.  Laughing at himself, he quickly filled Kevin's bowl before losing his own clothes and joining Dean in the bathroom.

Seth laughed as Dean slowly toed his foot along the water, testing the temperature, "Heat isn't feeling so great now is it?"

Dean shook his head at him, "Be quiet you!" with a glare, Dean sat himself down, reaching up for him and helping him over and down in front of him, both of them squirming around until Seth was once again enfolded in his arms.

Laying a kiss on the top of his head, Dean murmured, "So it's your show tonight, but I do have one request."

Seth's lips moved across his collar bone, "What's that?"

"I want to see you; want to be on my back.  It's umm, not exactly something I ever had before.  In the past it was always a quick in and out.  I didn't want to see them and they sure as hell didn't want to see me," Dean's voice came through slowly as he nuzzled into Seth's neck.

Turning to straddle him, Seth grinned down at him, "Well that was already the plan anyways, but I'm glad you told me.  We can't avoid crossing the line with one another if we don't know where it lies in the first place," he leaned down for a kiss, sending a jolt of relief through Dean as he didn't make a big deal about it or make him tell him more about his past.

Deciding that they both could use something to take the edge off, Seth began grinding himself down onto Dean until he picked up on what he was doing and began to frot himself up against him, both of them quickly reaching climax as they splashed water out onto the floor.

Content, they stayed in one another's arms for a bit before getting out and drying off and then cleaning up the floor.

Afterwards, Seth held his hand out to Dean who took it with a surprising amount of confidence, secure in the fact that Seth would never hurt him.

With a grin, Seth asked him, "You ready for me to show you just how much I love you babe?"

"Lead the way Princess!"

...

Crawling onto the bed together, Seth's confidence suddenly disappeared.  He'd only topped a few times in his life and that was so long ago he can barely remember it.  

Seeing his expression, Dean tipped his chin up asking, "What's up?"

Seth pulled back with a sigh, looking down at the bed as he answered, "What if I can't make you feel as good as you do for me?  I don't exactly have a lot of experience being in charge."

Dean nudged his chin back up, "Yeah well I obviously don't have a whole lot of experience at letting someone else be in charge so we'll figure out what works together, alright?  Besides, I got to be honest baby, anything you do to me is going to blow my mind.  Every move you make gets me going so yeah, you definitely don't need to worry about that!" he reached up and brought Seth's hand down to his lap where his dick had already recovered and grown fully hard again.

Not even aware of what he was doing, Seth's hand was immediately caressing it, his own dick getting with the program as he began to stroke lightly, Dean thrusting up gently at him.

Letting go, Seth's chocolate eyes darkened as he looked down at him spread out below him, "Mine?" he asked, voice deepening as he began to stroke up and down Dean's chest, thumbs brushing against his nipples, earning him a encouraging gasp.

Dean's blue eyes sparkled as he moaned, "All yours."

Leaning down, Seth replaced his hands with his mouth, taking time to pay attention to every part of Dean's body that he came across, his tongue lavishing every inch of his skin, causing Dean to writhe below him, his hands gripping onto Seth's shoulders tightly.

Leaning back, Seth peered down at him again, so turned on he almost couldn't see straight, "Can I taste you?"

Dean's pupils dilated at the words, but he wasted no time in turning over onto his stomach, raising his ass up at him, leaving Seth breathless at the sight and the absolute trust that Dean was placing in him.

Leaning down, Seth trailed a hand down his back, Dean shivering as goosebumps broke out across his skin.  Grinning, Seth pushed Dean's curls up as he laid a kiss on his neck before trailing a line down to his butt, kissing both of his cheeks before spreading them apart and letting his tongue create a wet trail across his rim.

Dean gasped at the touch, "Fuck!  Never, uhh, never had anyone eat me out before."

Seth pulled back as he stared down at him dumbfounded, "Never?  I thought it was just me who had the selfish partners."

Dean laughed at his words, "Yeah, well let's just say it's not exactly something a lot of chicks are into and I never trusted any of my male fuckbuddies to get anywhere near my ass," he let out a moan as Seth returned to his ministrations, pointing his tongue and pushing the tip past his ring.

Gently, Seth pushed all the way in, laving his walls until he found what he was looking for, Dean jumping as Seth brushed his prostate, "Fuck, right there Princess!"

Seth began a slow push and pull, hitting his pleasure spot with every pass as Dean pushed back at him.  Dean turned and glared back at him when Seth drew out, making him giggle as he said, "Patience, babe!  Now turn over."

Grunting, Dean did just that, Seth's heart stuttering at how blown out Dean already looked, his hair plastered to his forehead and his skin beautifully flushed.  He found himself watching him with his mouth open, causing Dean to stick his tongue out at him, "Were you just going to watch me all night Princess or can we get to fucking?"

Seth returned the favor as he reprimanded him, giving him a little swat at his chest, "Making love D, I think we've both had enough of doing it the other way."

Dean's expression softened as he reached up, grabbing Seth's hand in his own and giving it a squeeze, "Yeah, I think we have.  So why don't you stop staring and get down here and show me the difference!"

"Okay, okay," Seth giggled as Dean gave a sharp pull, making him tumble down into his arms, Dean just holding him there for a second, laying a kiss on his forehead before letting him go. 

Seth reached over and grabbed their tube of lube, coating his fingers generously as he moved down to take Dean's dick in his mouth, which was already nicely coated with Dean's precum, allowing it to slide smoothly down Seth's throat.

He reached out, pushing one of Dean's legs up and back a bit, allowing him better access to below as he teased one of his fingers across his opening.

"Come on Princess, give it to me!" Dean rasped out.

Trembling, Seth pushed in, working his finger around before adding in a second as Seth's mouth struggled to take Dean down as far as he could go.

Seth's eyes widened in alarm as Dean suddenly pushed him back, "Did I do something wrong?"

Dean vigorously shook his head, "Fuck, no baby!  Sorry, I was just going to come and I want to do it while you're inside of me.  Carry on!" Dean gave a wave of his hand, causing Seth to chuckle as he worked in a third finger, pressing tightly against Dean's pleasure spot before swirling them back and forth working him open.

Finally, unable to wait any longer, Dean began pleading, "Do it Princess, i need you!"

Letting go of him, Seth slicked himself up, looking down at his love contemplatively, "Are you sure babe?"

Dean rolled his eyes up at him, "Princess, if you don't get in me right this second, I'm going to roll you over and take your dick myself!"

Seth's eyes widened at the thought, "You know," he said licking his lips.  "I wouldn't be opposed to that idea sometime."

Dean smirked up at him, "Me either, but right now I want you in charge.  I want you to own me Seth, make me yours!  We'll revisit me riding you another time."

Seth giggled, "Alright, alright!" he placed himself at his entrance, his cock trembling at the thought of driving into his tight, warm hole.  "I love you," Seth leaned down for a kiss.

Dean gave him what he was looking for before returning the sentiment, "Love you baby."

Content, Seth pushed forward, Dean grunted as he moved past his rim, "Fuck!"

Seth stilled, "Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah just give me a sec," Dean gasped.

Seth ran his hand soothingly down Dean's side as he waited.  Dean drew him back down for another kiss, trying to get his body to relax at the intrusion. 

After a few moments, he gave Seth a nod, who worked his way in a inch at a time until he bottomed out, letting himself rest against Dean for a moment, both of them overwhelmed at the feeling.

Seth had never felt anything so tight and so warm and he found himself overwhelmed at the sensation of being inside bare.  He knew how amazing it felt to have Dean inside of him without a condom, but he hadn't even thought about how it would feel on the other end.

Dean's hands stroked through Seth's hair as he rested against him, desperately trying to get his breathing under control.  The last thing he wanted to do was tip himself into a panic attack at the absolute worst possible moment.

"Shit!" Seth moaned.  "You are so fucking tight.  I'm not sure how long I'm going to be able to last."

Dean returned his moan with one of his own, "S'good Princess; so good!  I'm already there baby, so don't worry about letting go.  I'm ready Seth, can you just move?" Dean moved his legs around Seth's back as he drew up.

Eyes locked, Seth drew out and pushed back in watching as Dean arched up at him, Seth's muscles straining as he let go and began a steady push and pull, Dean meeting him at every pass.

Seth groaned as Dean clenched down on him, "Oh fuck!  Keep doing that babe and this is all going to be over," he should have known that Dean would have to be a smart ass, doing it again as he smirked up at him.

Laughing, Seth leaned down and bit at his bottom lip as he adjusted his position, causing him to hit Dean's prostate head on.  Seeing him jerk, Seth smiled in satisfaction, carefully aiming and hitting him again and again.

All too soon, Seth felt himself approaching climax, reaching down he got a strong grip on Dean's cock, stroking him with his rhythm as he urged him to let go, "I'm right there babe, but I need you to come first.  Come for me D!"

At his words, Dean let go, arching up as his cum burst out, dripping down Seth's hand and spreading out across Dean's stomach.  As he clenched down on Seth's cock again, Seth found himself exploding inside of him, coating his walls as he collapsed back onto Dean, his forehead hitting Dean's shoulder as Dean's arms loosely came up to hold him.

"Fuck!  That was, uh, wow!" Dean shared as he rubbed Seth's back.

"Mmm, yeah!" Seth gasped.  "So good babe, thank you!" Seth kissed his shoulder.

"Thank you Princess.  It's never been like that before," Dean drew him up, taking his mouth in a desperate kiss, trying to convey his feelings with his lips.

Seth was dazed when he drew back, "Wow!"

Dean laughed at him, "Happy Princess?"

"Yeah," Seth's voice was barely there as he snuggled back into Dean's chest.

Pushing him up, Dean said, "Wait, before you fall asleep on me, let's get cleaned up or else I won't hear the end of it in the morning when we're stuck together!"

Seth giggled, "Who me?"

Dean poked him as he pulled out and off of him, quickly grabbing him before he could get away from him and carrying him bridal style to the shower where they lazily made out as they cleaned off.

Seth laughed as Dean swung him back up into his arms and took him back to the bed, "You know I could get used to this.  Better watch it or I'll have you carrying me everywhere!"

Dean shrugged, "Anytime Princess!" he dropped him down, pulling the sheets back and over him as he slid in next to him, pulling him back into his arms.

"Night babe, love you," Seth murmured.

"Night," Dean mumbled.  "Love ya baby."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	33. Chapter 33

Seth woke up with a smile on his face, Dean's arms wrapped tightly around him.  He felt like they'd taken a huge step last night in cementing their relationship.  Dean had given him his full trust and Seth knew how precious that gift was.

Sitting up, he looked at the clock, pleased to find that they'd slept in a bit.  Stretching, he leaned over and gave Dean's cheek a kiss before rising and taking Kevin out for his walk.

Back in the room, he got the coffeemaker going and then jumped in the shower and got dressed before grabbing himself a cup and taking Kevin out on the balcony, content to let Dean sleep.

Before long, he heard the sliding door open and Dean slid into the chair next to him, having poured himself his own cup of coffee.

"Morning Princess!" he leaned over for a kiss.

"Mmm, morning D," Seth murmured, his head moving down to rest against Dean's shoulder as they soaked up the early morning sun.  "Looking like another beautiful day out.  What should we do for our last day here?"

Dean smirked at him, "Well, we could spend the day in bed," he moved his eyebrows up and down at him.

Seth chuckled, "I could get with that idea, but maybe we could spend a little time outside early before we do that.  I spend so much time stuck in a office that I like to get out and enjoy the nice weather when I can."

Dean nodded at him, "Yeah, I'll be cooped up in a car before long too.  Okay, what else is there to do around here?"

"There's the farmer's market or some museums, but those are inside.  We could go downtown and do some shopping. There's some bars and clubs and a casino down there.  Or we could do something else..." Seth trailed off.

Seeing something in his eyes, Dean poked him, "Okay Princess, what do you really want to do?"

Blushing, Seth mumbled, "There's the zoo."

Dean laughed, "If you want to go see the animals, we can go do that.  It's outside and it's something we can do early."

Seth beamed at him, "Really?"

"Of course.  My best buddy Owens and Bayley are obsessed with them so I've visited a ton of them across the country with a large group.  He'll be pissed as hell when I tell him I went to one he hasn't been to yet.  Why didn't you just say you wanted to go in the first place?"

Seth shrugged, "I thought you might think it was too childish or something."

Dean threw his head back with a laugh, making Seth pull back from him, but he quickly reached out to capture him, pulling him back down to his shoulder, "Baby, haven't you figured out by now that I am one big overgrown child?  I love doing things like that."

Seth giggled against him, "Well, you may not think it, but I do too.  Finn and Sami are always down for stuff like that, but everyone else always look at me like I've lost my mind."

"Well I lost mine a long time ago, so why don't you just join me on the dark side Princess?  Any crazy ideas you have we'll go with them, alright?" Dean told him deadly serious.

Seth beamed at him again, his smile taking residence in Dean's soul as he leaned forward for a intense kiss, "Be careful what you wish for babe!  Have I told you this morning how much I love you?"

Dean appeared to be thinking carefully, before leaning forward and biting at Seth's lip, "You know, I don't think you have!"

"Well then," Seth teased.  "Let me correct that...I love you Dean Ambrose!"

"Then I guess it's a good thing that I love you too Seth Rollins!" Dean stole another kiss before letting him go and standing up.  "Well, since it looks like you already showered, I'm going to go grab one and get dressed and we can leave."

...

Seth was in seventh heaven as they wandered between the exhibits, Dean clutching his hand the entire way as they peered into the various cages and windows, both of them snapping pictures as they went.

Dean quickly figured out that Seth was obsessed with the cat family as he squealed over the lions and later over the tigers, bobcats and snow leopards. Thinking about that, he filed away the information for later use.

He himself was drawn to the reptiles, lingering over the lizards and various snakes with glee, but glaring as they stood in front of the viper.  Seth looked at him quizzically, but he shrugged, explaining that the thing just reminded him of Randy's tattoos. Seth laughed as he looked at it and realized it was true..

They both enjoyed the ocean exhibit, taking in all the various colors and shapes of the fish and sea creatures on display. 

As they wound their way back towards the entrance, they passed the petting farm, Dean laughing as Seth pouted at him when they didn't stop.  Unable to resist that look, Dean led him over to the barn where Seth got in with the crowd of kids and fed the goats as Dean snapped some pics, his heart melting at the adorableness.

They wound up in one of the food areas, scarfing down some ice cream as they people watched before Dean dragged Seth over to the arcade, where they spent the next hour challenging one another in everything from basketball and skeeball to a variety of video and racing games.

Satisfied, they made their way back to the inn, ready to slide into bed and spend the rest of the evening relaxing, both trying to keep their minds away from their looming separation.

Curling up under the covers, Kevin at their feet, they channel surfed before settling on a movie and then having dinner brought to their room.

As it grew dark, they cuddled up, leisurely making out, only parting so Seth could walk Kevin before crawling right back into Dean's arms.  Taking their time, Dean made love to him gently, worshiping every inch of his body before pulling out and letting Seth do the same to him.

Looking down at Dean as he thrust inside of him, Dean's head writhing against the pillows in ecstasy, Seth found tears forming, slowing dropping down onto Dean's chest as he looked up worriedly at him, "Seth, baby what's wrong?"

Seth shook his head, leaning down to give Dean a kiss before pulling back and whispering, "I'm not ready to go without this.  I'm so happy with you Dean."

Dean's eyes softened in understanding as he reached up to caress Seth's cheek, "I know Princess.  I feel the same way, but it's only for three days, right?  We can do this.  You just better get used to calls and texts at all times of the day and night because I'm not going to be able to hold back from talking to you whenever I can."

Seth giggled, "You make that sound like a threat!" he gave another hard thrust, causing Dean to arch up at him, before reaching up and rolling them over, looking down at him as he rode his cock to completion, his own cum splattering Seth's chest as he pulsed a steady stream inside of him.

"It is a threat baby...you're going to be so sick of me, you're going to want to break my phone!" Dean waved a finger at him.

Biting at it playfully, Seth shook his head, "Never going to happen babe.  I'm going to be just as desperate to keep in contact with you."

After another lingering kiss, they made their way to the bathroom for a quick shower before curling back up in bed, Seth setting the alarm on his phone so they could get up and check out early enough that he could make it home in time to change for work.

...

Morning dawned too quickly, the room still relatively dark as Seth's alarm woke him up, Dean stirring with a groan next to him, "Fuck!  Let's just forget everything else and stay here.  We'll pick out new names and work as rangers at the visitor's center."

"Wow, my life goal!" Seth said sarcastically as he gave him a push.  "Get up and get dressed while I take Kev out."

Dean stuck his tongue out at him as he reluctantly stood up, making his way to his suitcase and grabbing a outfit, "You just have no sense of adventure!"

Seth flipped him the finger as he made his way out the door, "I'm not getting my ass kicked by Roman when you fail to show up for work babe!"

After a quick walk, Seth made his way back to the room, wishing he would have dressed a little warmer, chilled to the bone as he stepped back inside, "Fuck babe, it's freezing out there!"

Dean popped his head out of the bathroom as he brushed his teeth, talking around the brush, "Sun's not even up yet, that's why!  Normal people aren't up this early!"

Seth just rolled his eyes at him as he got his own clothes together, stepping into the bathroom and getting ready around him.  After brushing his own teeth, he grinned as Dean stopped to give him his morning kiss.

"Did you want to grab breakfast before we leave?" Dean asked.

Seth shook his head, "We really don't have time if we hit the morning rush hour traffic.  I was thinking we could grab some pastries from the store downstairs and eat on the way."

Dean shrugged, "Fine with me," he leaned down for another kiss before heading out into the room and getting them packed back up.  Taking one last look around, the pair headed out, Kevin at their heels.

After checking them out, Seth joined Dean at the car, both turning around to look back at the inn with a sigh.  Feeling sad, Seth turned into Dean's arms, burying himself into his chest as Dean kissed the top of his head.

After a moment, they begrudgingly got into the car and headed out, Seth driving this time as Dean fed him bits of pastry along the way.

...

After calling a Uber to get him to the airport, Dean sat down at the kitchen table to wait as Seth went through his morning routine.  Drumming his fingers nervously on the table, Dean tried to put up a confident front for his boyfriend.  He couldn't let Seth see that he was worried about their parting just as much as he was.

He pulled out his phone and texted Roman his flight information again, just to pass some time.  Finally, he made his way into the living room and picked up Kevin, cuddling with him on the couch as he waited for Seth to come downstairs.

Looking up at the first hint of footsteps, Dean found his heart seizing as he looked at his boyfriend decked out in one of his various suits, but it wasn't the suit that was bothering him, but rather the closed off expression on his face.  It was as if he was looking at the tense man he'd first seen getting out of that car in the parking lot, the one who was caged in by his job and by other's expectations on him. 

Dean hadn't realized just how much Seth had changed in the two weeks he'd known him, but now he could see just how much more relaxed and at ease and open he was around him.  Seeing him suddenly sliding behind that all business persona of his was a bit jarring, but Dean knew it was his way of dealing with their parting.

Determined to break through that wall, Dean took the few steps between him, pulling Seth into his arms and carrying him over to the couch, pushing Kevin off as he lay him down and took his lips in a frenzied kiss.

Pulling back, he grinned at Seth's dazed expression, "Love you Princess, never forget that!  Now go get as much work done as you can these next few days because come Thursday, this ass is mine again!"

Seth drew him back down, attaching their lips once again, getting lost in one another until Dean's phone went off, signaling him that his ride was here.

They reluctantly drew apart as Dean helped him up, pulling him right back into his arms for a hug as Seth whispered in his ear, "Love you too D.  Don't worry, I won't forget!  Now go kick some ass.  I promise I'll be watching."

Pulling apart, Dean walked to the door, his hand still clutching Seth's.  At the door, they shared another kiss before Seth gave him a push, "Go or you never will!"

Grabbing his bag and waving his set of keys at Seth with a grin, he said, "I'm ready.  See you Thursday Princess.  I can't wait for you to meet Blue!" he slipped out the door as he blew him a kiss.

Shutting the door behind him, Seth slumped against it, letting the tears he'd been pushing back come.  Realistically, he knew that he should have been prepared for this, but it didn't make it hurt any less.  Shaking his head, he steeled himself and rolled back his shoulders.  It was time for him to concentrate on work.

 


	34. Chapter 34

Once back at work, Seth found himself settling in pretty quickly.  He was actually grateful for the distraction, figuring he could put in a ton of extra hours to help speed up the next few days so he wouldn't have to spend all of his time missing Dean.

He'd already received a visit from his boss earlier in the morning, but it had gone pretty well considering.  He'd left him some new cases to work on and he'd even asked him to come in for a meeting later in the day regarding the big case that he was still letting Seth get in on. 

He was deep into work on some of the files when his phone buzzed, but he decided to ignore it for now, wanting to get as much done as he could while his mind was in work mode.

It wasn't until he was scarfing down a quick lunch that he remembered to check his phone, frowning as he saw it was from Finn.  He had completely forgotten with everything that was going on that he'd promised to meet up with the guys at the gym earlier in the week.  He quickly opened the text.

_Everything okay?  Sami tried calling you earlier in the week and we haven't seen you around.  We figure you may have just been distracted by Dean, but wanted to make sure :)_

Seth blushed as a image of Dean below him in bed flashed before him.  His boyfriend was certainly a distraction.  Shaking himself, Seth shot a message back.

_Sorry, the week got away from me.  A LOT of drama going on and then we were out of town for a few days.  Actually, I could use some company, would you guys be up for a barbecue tonight?  See if Matt wants to come too.  Meet at mine at 6:30?_

_Sounds like a plan._

Just the thought of having plans for the evening made the hurt in Seth's chest ease a bit.  He was still dreading crawling into his bed alone, but he'd deal with that when the time came. 

...

Dean had never been one to get too attached to a place, content to live his life on the road.  He enjoyed the time he could spend at home in Vegas, but he never found himself homesick. The only thing he ever really missed while he was traveling city to city was his dog and the majority of the time Blue was with him anyways.

Now here he was a few hours into his plane flight and his heart was already heavy, wishing he was curled up on the couch in his and Seth's home.  And wasn't that the craziest part of all?  In just a few short days, Seth's home had become his own in every way that mattered.  He loved how comfortable it made him feel and everything about the way Seth had decorated it made it feel welcoming and open.

Sighing, he looked at his phone, frowning as he thought about how right about now he'd be puttering around the place, Kevin at his heels as he fixed himself some lunch.  Maybe he'd be on the phone with Seth on his own lunch break, chatting about everything and nothing in the easy way they did with one another.

 _You've really gone and done it this time Dean!_ he thought to himself.  He'd give anything to turn the plane back around and run back into Seth's arms, but he knew it was just a pipe dream.  They both had jobs they needed to do and maybe it was a good thing that they only had to be apart for a few days.  This would be a good preview of the longer separations that lay ahead.

Dean thumped his head back against the seat, closing his eyes and trying to catch a quick nap, hoping to silence his thoughts for awhile.

...

"Thanks Seth, we didn't even see that," Mr. Meyers praised him.

Seth glowed, happy that he'd managed to pick up on the mistake in one of the files his boss had dropped off earlier.  So far, the meeting had gone pretty well.  Maybe things were finally going to get back to normal.

As the meeting wound to a close, Seth chatted with his boss and Ted for a bit, agreeing to another meeting the following day before heading back to his office where he spent another hour wrapping things up before he headed out.  He tried to shake off his sense of sadness as he walked out to his car, he'd gotten so used to seeing Dean's shining face as he came through the doors.

He'd received a text from Dean earlier in the day letting him know that he'd arrived and was already headed back to the hotel with Roman.  He'd promised to called him after the show.

As he turned the corner to the parking lot, he froze as he saw Patrick leaning against his car like he belonged there.

Looking back, he was happy to see the security guard on post at the end of the lot.  At least he'd have a witness if things got of control. 

Striding over to him, Seth snapped, "Get the fuck away from my car and get the hell out of here.  I thought I made it clear that I didn't want to ever see you again!"

"Seth, Seth, Seth...it's sweet how you still think you have all the control in this situation.  I can make things so difficult for you.  I just wanted to tell you that you've made the right decision in not going to the press with a statement of your own," Patrick sneered.

"That's only because I was out of town all weekend.  Don't worry, we will be answering your slander with the truth!" Seth got right up in his face.  "Get out of here now before I call your father."

Patrick leaned forward smacking his lips with his own, taking Seth by surprise, but he quickly clamped down on Patrick's bottom lip, drawing a gasp and blood as he furiously pulled back, grabbing Seth's arm as he hissed, "Keep pushing me sweetheart and I will make your life a living hell!  There are so many ways I can screw things up for you."

Seth gave him a push, "You already did that, but I've finally gotten myself out of your toxic web.  You have no hold over me anymore and you never will!  Now get the fuck away from me!"

"Where's your little boyfriend sweetheart?  How long do you think he'll be out on the road before he figures out that he can have anyone he wants?  Someone who can travel with him, who actually likes the same things he does, someone who fits into his world?  Don't kid yourself hun, you're just another notch on his bedpost and before long you'll be on your knees alone once again and if you keep treating me this way, I won't be here to take you back!" with those words, Patrick stalked away from him, leaving Seth glaring at his back.

"Fuck!" Seth threw a punch at his car door, wincing at the explosion of pain in his hand.

...

Dean grinned as he stepped through the airport doors and saw his Samoan friend towering over everyone else as he paced outside.  Sneaking up on him, Dean leapt onto his back, clinging to him like a monkey, "Hey Ro Ro!"

Roman sighed, "Dammit D!  Do you have to make a scene every time?"

Dean let go, moving in front of him as he smirked at him, "Yep, you wouldn't know it was me if I didn't."

Roman rolled his eyes, grabbing one of Dean's bags as he began to walk away, "Come on loverboy, we've got a lot to talk about."

Dean stuck his tongue out at his back as he followed along behind him.

...

Back at home, Seth took Kevin out for a quick walk, still shaking a bit from his confrontation with Patrick.  Was there ever going to be a time where he could look at the man without fearing him?  Why did he have to be so weak?

As he stepped back into his house, a car pulled into his lot, Finn, Sami and Matt piling out, their voices loudly intermingling as they made their way up his steps. 

He opened the door back up as they tumbled inside, all talking over one another as they carried in more stuff for the barbecue.

Seth grinned at them, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you guys!  I really need this."

Looking at him closely, Finn pointed up the stairs, "Go get yaself changed, take a shower or whatever you need ta do ta relax and we'll take care of getting the grill going.  Then we're going to sit down and ya can tell us what's going on."

Seth laughed as Sami and Matt gave him a push, "Alright, alright guys, I'm going!  Thanks man!"

...

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Dean glared at Roman, who threw his hands up as he said, "Hey, I'm just the messenger!"

Dean hadn't even really thought about the TMZ article outside of how it had affected Seth so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that it was a hot topic on his end of things as well.

According to Roman, the locker room was split with some buying into the bullshit story and others adamantly on Dean's side, not believing for a second that things between he and Renee had ever gotten that serious.  Renee had apparently been soaking up the sympathy from those who bought into it.

The worst part of it all was that his own bosses weren't sure what to believe either.  Hunter had cornered Roman to ask him about it, sharing that Vince had gone through the roof.  Although he loved any type of publicity, he wanted to be the one in control of it and all of this happening without his knowledge was making him see red.

"I'd watch my back brother.  Hunter is trying to smooth things over and wants you to release a statement, but I'm not sure Vinnie's going to back off this time.  I'd expect some sort of retaliation in the ring," Roman warned.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, we'll probably be split up again while he puts me in a bunch of jobber matches.  Shit, I'm sorry if I messed anything up for you Uce!"

Roman just shook his head, holding out his fist until Dean responded with his own, "Screw that D, you know we're in this together.  You didn't do anything wrong and we're going to make sure that asshole can never hurt you and your boy again.  Speaking of which, how was your trip?"

Roman was amazed at Dean's change of demeanor the minute the words left his mouth.  He went from angry and tense to wearing a soft smile and his eyes lighting up as he slumped back onto the bed he was perched on.

"Fuck Ro, it was amazing!  We stayed at this cute inn on the water and we did some hiking. I took him to a spa and he surprised me with dinner on the beach. It was perfect!" Dean rambled.

"I'm happy for you Uce.  You both deserve a little peace after everything you've gone through," Roman declared.

Dean nodded, "That's exactly what it was.  I've never felt this way Ro.  He's everything.  Did I tell you he asked me to move in with him?  He gave me keys to his place and everything.  I know, I know that it's rushing things, but who gives a fuck, right?  When it's right, you know it's right," Dean's voice trailed off.

Roman laughed as he settled himself next to him, sprawling down beside him, "Aww, my Deano's growing up!" he ruffled his hair.

Dean gave him the finger and a push, "I'm serious man, I, you know, let him have me."

Roman's eyebrows rose as he looked over at him, "That's huge Uce!  You really trust him, don't you?  How was it, if you don't mind me asking.  I mean, no details, but it was good?"

Dean smirked at him, "Aww, don't you want to hear all about it?"

"No D, no I don't!"

Dean laughed before he continued on, dropping the sarcasm, "The idea scared me, you know?  But it was Seth and he'd never hurt me.  He gave me everything I wanted and more.  I love him man, I really do."

"Anyone with eyes can see that D and for the record, it's obvious on his end as well.  You two just keep talking to one another and keep making one another happy and it'll all work out, okay?"

Dean nodded, "I just don't know how we're going to get through this separation.  I know it's only three days, but I'm already feeling it.  How the hell are we going to survive those long road trips or one of those fucking overseas deals?"

Roman tried to reassure him, "You'll figure it out as you go D.  Now, let's go grab some food before we head to the venue!"

Dean gave stretch before getting to his feet, "Thanks for listening bro."

"Anytime Uce.  I'm always here when you need me.  Just remember that," Roman gave him a punch to his shoulder as he turned to head out, Dean trailing behind him.

...

"Well fuck!  I wish we'd been there man," Sami's eyes were flashing as Finn paced around him and Matt punched on the side of the chair he was sitting in. 

"I just wish I would have been there ta see your boys take him down!" Finn gave a savage grin.

Seth winced, "I'm sorry I didn't call you guys, but with your history and how my parents feel about you, I figured it was best to just have Roman come watch our backs.  I wish you could have been there too though."

"I'm sorry I talked to Dean Seth.   I've been meaning to call you, but I wasn't sure what to say.  He was just so wrecked and I knew Patrick must have done something to make him that angry.  I just lost it and found myself spilling all to him," Matt tried to explain.

Seth nodded, "I was pretty mad at first, but I get it and actually in the end, I think it was a good thing.  I'm not sure how long it would have taken for me to let Dean in."

Sami grinned at him, "At least it sounds like your trip was a blast.  I know you've always wanted to take Kevin over there."

Seth's face softened, a smile appearing as he shared, "Best few days of my life!  Fuck guys, I've fallen so hard and so fast for him, how am I supposed to get used to being without him?"

Finn shook his head at him, "Ya can't worry so much about it.  Ya look at one another like you're the only people in the world.  I don't think ya have to worry about losing one another.  Just take your time and figure things out as they come man.  It'll all work out the way it's supposed ta."

Sami and Matt agreed behind them as they stood up and began helping Finn to get their food on plates, sprawling out around Seth's kitchen as they chowed down and finished off some beers.

They lost track of time as they chatted and caught up on some gym business, but Kevin nipping at his legs made Seth realize that RAW had already started. 

Urging his friends into the other room, they sat down to watch the show, Seth confused when Dean was on early fighting someone he'd never even heard of.  Dean won, but the match was so short that you could have blinked and missed it.  Later on, Roman had another match against Kevin Owens, which of course was interrupted by Chris Jericho, but this time there was no Dean in sight to stop Owens from gaining the pin and the win.

As the show wound down, Seth's friends got up and stretched as they said their goodbyes and made Seth promise to stop by the gym on Wednesday evening.  They also made him promise to let them know if Patrick continued to bother him, all swearing that they'd start dropping him off and picking him up at work if he needed them too.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, but grateful for their support, Seth said goodbye before grabbing Kevin's leash and quickly taking him out as he waited for Dean's call.

...

Dean was pissed as he headed back to his locker room.  Not only had he been stuck in a pathetic excuse for a match, but he'd been banned from ringside during Roman's match.  It wasn't fair that he was being punished for someone else's lies.

He was more than ready to get back to the hotel, hoping that Roman's match would be over quickly and they could head out.  He was uncomfortable with all the side glances and looks he'd been getting all day from everyone in back, although he had enjoyed rubbing in his zoo trip with Owens, making him check out his pics.

Looking up as the door creaked, he relaxed when he saw Bo standing there.  At least it was someone he knew was on his side. 

With no words, Bo came in and turned on the tv, giving Dean's shoulder a bump as he sat down next to him and they watched Roman's match, both wincing as Owen's got the win. 

"Seth seems like a good guy," Bo's words hung in the air between them. 

Sighing, Dean finally answered, "He is, he really is and I hate that all of this is happening because of who I am.  If I wasn't a public figure then his ex would have no hold over him."

Bo looked at him closely as he responded, "I don't know the details, but I know that Seth can't be blaming you for this.  Sounds like you both have some baggage that is unfortunately interfering with what you have now.  Just don't let it come between you; just focus on the positive and do what you can to make it right and along the way, don't forget that you have friends around who will be here to help with whatever you need," giving a nod, Bo stood up and walked out, leaving Dean to contemplate his words.

...

Seth locked up and fed Kevin before heading upstairs and changing into his sleepwear, crawling under his covers and taking out his contacts, laying his phone on his pillow next to him as he waited.

Finally, his phone began to ring with a invite to a video call, which he eagerly accepted, his heart racing as he took in the view of Dean stretched out in his own bed.

" _Hey Princess!_ " he gave him a heart melting smile as he waved at him.

_"Hey D, everything okay?"_

_"It will be.  Vinnie Mac is punishing me a bit because of the article.  He doesn't like being taken by surprise, but the important people realize the whole thing is bullshit so I guess that's all that matters."_

_"So that's what that match was about?  Can you tell Ro I'm sorry that he's taking the brunt of this as well?"_

_"Already told him that myself, but you can tell him yourself.  Say hi to the Princess Ro!"_  Dean turned the phone to the other bed, where Roman was reading, stopping to wave back as he shouted, " _Hi Seth!  Don't be upset about something that's not your fault.  Vince is always looking for a excuse to stick it to us, nothing new here."_

Seth grinned as the phone turned back towards Dean, who was giving him a brilliant smile, " _See?  If Uce says it so, then it is!  So how was your day?"_

Seth frowned, " _Work was good, I'm working on some new cases and my boss brought me into a meeting on that big thing he has brewing.  Unfortunately, I had a run in with Patrick in the parking lot.  He's just not going away.  He was throwing around threats and urging me to keep my mouth quiet.  I think we need to make that statement babe before he gets a chance to make things even worse!"_

" _Did he touch you?"_ Dean shouted furiously.

Looking down, Seth answered meekly, _"He kissed me."_

 _"What did you say,"_  Dean growled.

Shaking with shame, Seth's eyes turned away from him, _"I didn't know what he was doing, it just came out of nowhere.  When I realized what was happening, I bit him."_

Seth's words gave Dean pause as Roman's laugh burst out from across the room as he yelled, _"Way to go Seth!"_

 _"i hope you bit right through it baby!  Fuck, I'm sorry I wasn't there.  You shouldn't have to worry about seeing him every time you go to work,"_ Dean's voice had calmed down.

Seth suddenly grinned with the memory of the blood dripping down his face, " _I drew blood and it was puffing up before he left.  It took me by surprise, but I'm working on not being afraid of him anymore.  I can't let him control me!"_

Dean giggled as he thought about it, " _Fuck yeah Princess, I'm proud of you!  I know you can take care of yourself Seth, I just don't want you to feel you have to.  We're in this together, partners."_

Seth blushed, " _That sounds so good.  By the way, the boys came over for a barbecue and wanted me to say hi to you and Ro.  It was nice having them keep me company for a bit.  They were sorry they missed seeing you and Ro pound on him."_

Dean chuckled, " _I knew I liked them.  We should grab dinner with them when I'm back in town.  I'm glad you have them around.  God, I miss you already Princess.  I can't believe how much your place feels like home already. Not sure how I'm going to be able to fall asleep tonight."_

Seth's voice grew softer as he replied, " _I know, I don't think I can sleep without your arms around me anymore.  It's already been the longest day and we still have two more to get through!  I miss you so much."_

Roman smirked at Dean as Dean threw one of his pillows at him, hitting him square on.

With a evil grin, Dean turned back to the phone where Seth was giggling at them, " _Maybe we should take the edge off before we try to sleep.  Up for some phone sex Princess?"_

Seth laughed as Dean winked at him, laughing harder as he heard the profanity coming from Roman's corner of the room as he told them both in excruciating detail what he'd do to them if they didn't hang up right the fuck now.

_"Well babe, sounds like our cue.  I guess I better try to get some sleep.  I love you D."_

_"Love you too Princess.  Give me a call on your lunch.  We'll be on the road by then.  The Big Guy can drive and I can see how quick I can get you off with just my voice! Night baby!"_

_"Night D,"_  as Seth hung up, he could hear Roman yelling at Dean again.  Shaking his head with a smile, Seth laid his phone down and curled up under his covers.  Just hearing Dean's voice had put him in a relaxed state and in spite of himself, he could feel himself fading away.  His last thought before he succumbed to sleep was that he just had 48 hours to get through.


	35. Chapter 35

As Seth brushed his teeth, he grabbed his buzzing phone, smiling at the message from Dean.

_Morning Princess, love you!  I'm headed in for a meeting with the boss, but I can't wait to talk to you at lunch._

Seth frowned as he thought about Dean having to face the music for something that was his fault.  This whole thing was so damn unfair.  As if in answer to his thoughts, his phone buzzed again.  He glared as he realized this time it was from a number he had long ago deleted from his phone.

_I hope you've had time to think about what I said.  The clock is ticking on my patience sweetheart.  I'm willing to give you one last chance to make things right here.  I've made dinner reservations for us and for our parents tomorrow night at the usual. I expect you to be there at 7 sharp!_

Seth deleted the text, tossing his phone at his bed in frustration as he let out a scream.  Short of getting the police involved, he didn't know what else to do.  Suddenly realizing just what Patrick had said, Seth furiously grabbed up his phone, intent on finding out what the hell was going on from his father.

 _"Seth, good to hear from you son.  How is your week going?"_ his father asked calmly as if nothing was going on.

_"Seriously?  My week was going fine until my psychotic ex accosted me in the parking lot yesterday and wrecked my morning by informing me that he's made some kind of alliance with you and his parents for all of us to have dinner tomorrow.  You all must be out of your god damn minds!"_

_"Now Seth, surely you can understand that we just want to resolve this situation in the best way possible."_

_"I already did, by banning that asshole from my life.  Get it through your head: I will never let him anywhere near me again!"_

_"Son, you need to think about what you're saying here.  Patrick is trying really hard to work on himself and..."_ he trailed off as the phone was suddenly grabbed from him. _  
_

_"Seth baby?"_ his mom asked.

_"Yes?"_

_"I'm sorry about this.  You just go to work and forget about it, alright?  I will make sure that Patrick and his parents understand that there will be no dinner now or anytime in the future.  I love you Seth."_

Surprised, but grateful, Seth answered, " _Alright mom, I will.  You know I love you too and I'd do whatever I could to make you guys happy, but I can't do that."_

_"We would never expect you to put yourself in danger for appearances sake.  Don't worry, I'll take care of your father.  Do you think that maybe you would be willing to bring Dean and come for dinner one night this week?  I think the four of us need to sit down and get on the same page."  
_

_"Oh mom, I already told you that until dad can treat Dean with respect, I won't step foot in your house and this morning more than proves that he's not ready to do that.  If you want to come by and have dinner with us that would be great.  Dean's on the road, but he will be back on Thursday.  Just let me know.  I've got to get going, but thanks again mom.  It's nice to know that at least one of you are on my side."_

_"Okay baby, have a good day."_

Appeased for the moment, Seth finished getting ready and headed out to work, determined to get through the rest of his day without any more incidents.

...

"Dean," Vince nodded at him as he entered the office.

"Vinnie," Dean nodded back as he slumped into one of the chairs.

Vince glared at him, "Do we have to have this conversation every time I see you Dean?  I'm your boss, show a little respect."

"Sorry Old Man, I'll try," Dean smirked at him, inwardly laughing as the man's face grew red as he tried to hold his temper.

"Dean," Hunter warned.

Dean rolled his eyes, but smartly kept his mouth shut, "What can I do for you gentlemen?"

"We want to get ahead of this damn TMZ story.  Since you refuse to keep it in your pants, we're stuck dealing with the fallout!" Vince shared, furiously.

"No offense "boss", but you're one to talk about indiscretions!" Dean dug at him, wincing as Hunter drove a leg into his, trying to get him to shut up.

Vince slammed his fist down on the desk, "Enough!  If you can't take this seriously, then I'm going to have to suspend you for an indefinite amount of time until you can!"

Dean winced as he decided to play nice, "Sorry boss, but I'm having a tough time understanding why I'm being punished for something that was not of my doing."

"Seems to me that you are the one who put yourself into this affair Dean.  We've looked the other way on your preferences, but when your sex life starts interfering with my business, I have to draw the line," Vince stated seriously.

Dean jumped up, pointing at him, "First of all, don't even compare this to anything in my past!  This isn't some random person I hooked up with at a bar or picked up after a show, alright?  There is no "affair".  I'm in a solid relationship and Seth hasn't been with his violent asshole of a ex in over a year!  I'm not sure how he got Renee on board with this, but a couple of dates doesn't equate to a relationship.  We mutually agreed that we would remain friends, nothing else.  Seth and I are willing to release a statement disputing the article, but that's it.  We will not be giving up our relationship or hiding it in the future so don't get any ideas about a female escort to the ring or anywhere else!"

Dean watched as both Vince and Hunter's eyes widened, surprised by his vehemence.

"Alright Dean, I can appreciate that, but I hope you can appreciate my concern.  If I can get TMZ on the phone, I'd like you to make your statement now.  Can you get your friend on the phone?" Vince asked.

"I can try, but my "boyfriend" should be at work now.  Let me see if he can talk," Dean excused himself, moving to the hall and dialing Seth's number.

 _"Babe, everything okay?"_ Seth asked as he picked up.

 _"Yeah, just dealing with these assholes!  Vince wants us to make our statement now.  Do you think you can sit in on a conference call now so we can get this over with?"_ Dean sighed.

 _"Yeah, the quicker we get it done, the quicker the asshole will finally back off.  It's time the spotlight turned to him,"_ Seth agreed.

 _"Great, let me go see if Vinnie got a hold of TMZ yet...wait, what did you just say?  Did he show up again?"_ Dean's voice rose.

 _"No, but he texted me.  He tried to set up some dinner tomorrow night with our parents.  He threatened me if I don't show up.  I fucking called my father, but my mom grabbed the phone and put him in his place.  She's going to talk to Patrick and his parents and make it clear that there will be no more contact between us. It was actually pretty cool how mom was willing to fight for me.  It's been a long time since I've felt like anything besides a disappointment to her.  My father on the other hand..."_ he trailed off brokenly.

 _"Hey, if he can't appreciate you for the amazing son that you are, then that's his problem!  I love you baby and so do your friends and your mom and now Ro,"_ Dean tried to reassure him.

 _"Thanks D, I know you do and I'm so grateful for all of you. It just hurts, you know?  I worshiped the ground that man walked on and yet he takes the side of my abuser and chooses to believe that I'm a liar,"_ Seth sniffled, clearly on the edge of tears.

 _"Fuck him!  I'm sorry Princess, I know he's your father, but he's a sorry excuse for a human being and if he and Patrick don't back off from you, then they're going to have to deal with me!  I've kept my other side on a leash for a long time, but I won't hesitate to let my Jon Moxley side out if I have to.  No one will ever hurt you again on my watch!"_ Dean emphatically stated.

Seth giggled, _"I love you Dean!  Do you know how hot it is to hear you get all protective?"_

Dean laughed, _"No, but feel free to whisper it in my ear later.  Right now, let's just get this done.  I'll call you in a minute Princess."_

Heading back into the office, Dean interrupted a conversation between Vince and Hunter, "He's on board, let's do this!"

Dean sat back down as Vince put the reporter on the line and then dialed Seth's number, patching him into the call.

 _"Okay I'll let you have the floor,"_ Vince told them.

Before Dean could say anything, Seth was talking, carefully explaining how he'd been in abusive relationship and that he'd never actually been engaged then or now.  Dean felt his chest fill with pride at how calm Seth sounded, he was really standing up for himself and for Dean and Dean felt his love for him grown even more.

Finally, it was Dean's turn to talk, _"Renee Young and I are co-workers and we went out for dinner a couple of times.  She had a bit of a crush on me and we were kind of pushed together by some friends, but I quickly realized that there wasn't any attraction there and we talked about how I didn't see it going anywhere.  We mutually decided to remain friends and that's been the case for a few months now.  I met Seth at one of my shows recently and we hit it off.  We started dating shortly after and after getting to know one another, we decided that we wanted our relationship to continue.  His ex suddenly appeared on the scene after seeing some pictures posted online and ever since he's been harassing my boyfriend and showing up at his workplace.  We can't prove that it was him that engineered the story for you guys, but we're pretty damn sure.  At the end of the day, we just want to be left alone so we can continue building this new relationship."_

Happy with the results, Vince put in his own two cents, giving a glowing quote and confirming that there was no ongoing relationship between his superstar and his commentator.

After the reporter hung up, Vince addressed Seth, _"Thanks for taking time out to do this.  We and I'm sure Dean really appreciate it.  I hope this will be the last of it."_

 _"Thank you sir for helping us take care of it and for your words. I hope you realize that Dean is just a unwilling victim in all of this.  Please don't take my past mistake out on him or on Roman,"_ Seth pleaded.

Dean interrupted, _"Seth, I'll take whatever punishment I have to.  This is not your fault, alright?  You need to get back to work.  I'll talk to you in awhile, okay?  Love you."_

 _"Love you too D.  I'll call you on my break,"_ Seth answered before hanging up. 

Turning back to Vince and Hunter, Dean asked sarcastically, "Am I free to go now?"

Vince nodded at him, gesturing for him to go, but Dean found himself stopping as he spied the smirk on Hunter's face, "What?" he asked with some hostility.

Hunter just flashed a grin at him, "Nothing man, just never thought I'd see the day where someone got Dean Ambrose this twisted up.  It looks good on you man.  I really wish you the best."

Dean looked at him with suspicion, but nodded at him, "Thanks, I guess.  Does this mean that Roman and I can get back to tagging?"

Hunter flashed him another grin, "We'll see what we can do at the house show.  Later Dean."

Dean shrugged as he headed out to the hall to hopefully quickly track down Roman and get the hell out of dodge.

...

Although Seth tried to focus after the call, he found himself drumming his fingers onto his desk, his thoughts returning again and again to Dean and what was going on with his bosses.  He wished he could be there with him supporting him the same way Dean was always taking care of things for him.

Making up his mind, he went to talk with his boss, surprised at just how easily he was able to convince him of his plan.

A couple of hours later, he was dialing Dean's number on his break, _"Hey babe!  What you up to?"_

_"Hey Princess, we actually just stopped for gas and some snacks.  Ro's getting me what I want so I can talk to you.  How's work?"_

_"It's okay.  My boss is actually being surprisingly nice.  I think he was happy to hear that we sent out a statement.  Now let's just hope that it makes the right kind of difference.  How did it go with yours after I hung up?"_

_"Not bad considering.  Looks like Ro and I will be back to normal tomorrow night.  Thank you for what you said by the way, I know that I interrupted you, but it meant the world to me."_

_"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you on my watch either D!  We're in this together."_

_"Together,"_ Dean confirmed. _"Fuck, is it Thursday yet?"_

Seth laughed, _"Tell me about it!  There's only so much I can do to keep myself distracted.  Where's your house show at?"_

 _"Jersey, East Rutherford,"_ Dean answered.

 _"Nice.  Big venue?"_ Seth asked casually.

_"Yeah, Continental Airlines Arena.  It's always a packed house."_

_"That's good.  I'm putting in some extra hours tonight and tomorrow, but I'll pick up if you call tonight."_

_"Count on it baby!  Hearing your voice last night at least relaxed me enough to get a bit of rest.  Still need to be in your arms though."_

_"I know D, I feel the same way, but just one more day, right?"_

Dean murmured in agreement, _"Looks like Ro's on his way back with our food so I better let you go Princess."_

_"Okay, love you."_

_"Love you too."_

Hanging up, Seth quickly made a few calls, setting up more parts of his plan before texting Finn and letting him know that they were going to have to postpone their workout date again.  He had something far more important to do!

 


	36. Chapter 36

Seth stayed up all night hopped up on coffee and energy drinks as he poured through his case files, putting himself at least a week ahead as he set each of them aside.  He took Dean's call, determinedly trying not to ruin his surprise, but bursting with the need to tell him.

Satisfied that he'd done all that he could do, Seth took Kevin out for a walk and then jumped in the shower, hoping to wake himself up so that he could get through the rest of his work day as the sun began to rise.

He quickly got dressed and with time still to waste, he sat downstairs with Kevin as he surfed through all of the pictures on his phone of him with Dean.  They looked so happy together; so right.  He was so incredibly grateful for Dean's presence in his life.

After answering a text from Finn, letting him know what he was up to and then texting Roman, asking him to keep his secret, but needing his help to bring his plan together.

Seth prepared to get going as his phone buzzed again.  Locking up and sliding into his car, he pulled out his phone and grimaced as he found yet another text from his favorite person.

_Really sweetheart?  You had to have your mommy do your dirty work?  That was a embarrassment to both of our families and to both of us.  We need to talk about this sooner rather than later and if you won't come to me, then I will come to you.  I'll see you this evening!_

Seth rolled his eyes, tired of Patrick's threats as he thought to himself that the man was in for a rude awakening if he decided to come by his house looking for him.  Sighing, Seth headed off to work.

...

Dean had had a terrible night as his insomnia got the best of him.  After rolling around for hours and getting chewed out by Roman, he'd taken off and went for a walk.  He knew that Seth would be cool with him calling to talk, but he didn't want to mess with his own sleep.  Seth still had a couple of long days at work to go and Dean had already made enough trouble for him there.

Sighing, Dean found himself walking further and further from their hotel on auto pilot.  At some point, he looked up and realized that he had no clue where he was.  Finding a bench, he threw himself down as he tried to figure out how to get back the way he'd come.  Of course he'd been dumb enough to leave his phone behind.  He could already hear Roman's scolding.

He made himself get back up and wearily began walking back towards where he thought he'd come, hoping he was on the right path.  Eventually, he passed a park he vaguely remembered and kept on going.  What felt like quite a bit of time later, he found himself right back there again, apparently having gone in a circle. 

Luck was on his side however, as he was suddenly approached by a couple of fans who were happy to give him directions back to the hotel in exchange for some photos.  He felt relieved as he finally made his way back to his room, wincing as he opened the door to Roman's yells, "Fuck D!  We should have been on the road a hour ago.  Where the hell have you been?"

"Couldn't sleep and went for a walk.  Got a little lost and had to stop and ask for directions," Dean shrugged, making Roman's voice get even louder.

"You didn't think to call me and let me know that?  I showed you how to use your GPS Uce, there's no excuse!"

Dean flipped, "I forgot my damn phone and for the record, I don't need you watching over me.  You could have went on without me if you were so concerned!" he stomped into the bathroom as Roman stared furiously after him.

Shaking his head, Roman grabbed his phone and texted Seth back. 

_Took care of things on my end.  I hope this works out because otherwise I'm going to have to strangle your boyfriend!  Dumbass kept my ass up all night because he couldn't sleep and then he took off without a word or his phone.  Ended up getting himself lost on his walk and just now made it back.  We're going to be cutting it close making it to the show on time._

Roman winced as he could hear Dean slamming things as he got himself together to go.  Looking back down at his buzzing phone, he found Seth had immediately gotten back to him.

_I told him to call me when he got like that!  Thanks for helping me out Ro.  I am so grateful that Dean has you.  Can you go a little easy on him?  He's got a lot to deal with right now._

_Yeah well I'm grateful that he has a solid person in his life like you.  You both have a lot to deal with, but I've been impressed with both of you.  Sometimes I want to squeeze my brother's neck, but I love him so you don't need to worry about me giving him a rough time.  I know he's getting enough of that already.  I'm going to go rush him so we can get out of here, but let me know if you need anything else._

"Dean!" he yelled.  "Time to go if you want to make it!"

Dean stumbled out, face stony as he slammed stuff into his suitcase.  Roman had to hide his smile as he looked at his sour expression.  It was clear to him that the separation from Seth was starting to get to him.  Laughing to himself, he grabbed his own stuff and led the way out, deciding that he'd stop at Dean's favorite fast food restaurant on the way and get him some of the fries he loved as a peace offering.

...

Seth frowned as he read Roman's texts.  He hated that Dean hadn't turned to him, but he knew that Dean had probably talked himself out of calling in order to not interrupt Seth's own rest.  Little did he know that Seth was up and as wide awake as he had been. 

Getting his mind back on his work, Seth headed out for yet another meeting with his boss, knowing all of the extra work was going to be worth it. 

He ended up working right through his lunch break and met with a few clients before digging through his desk for some aspirin, his lack of sleep starting to give him a headache. 

Steadying himself, he continued on with what he was doing until the words began to blur in front of him.  Looking at the clock, he saw that it was already almost three.  Deciding he'd done all he could do, he made his way back to his boss' office, checking in before he headed out.

Pulling up in his driveway, he found himself dragging, his body protesting any form of movement at this point.  With a sigh, he made himself get changed and grabbed together what he needed before he called Kevin, taking him for a quick walk before he put him in his car with his cage and headed off.

He made it just in time for his flight, getting Kevin settled in before heading to his seat, sticking his headphones on and letting himself finally crash, content to sleep for the next couple of hours.

...

Dean's attitude hadn't gotten any better during their drive. He grumbled a thanks when Roman stopped for food, but he'd barely acknowledged him beyond that.

After checking into their hotel, Roman finally forced Dean to sit down and listen to him, "Uce, I'm sorry I yelled at you, but I was just worried.  Sometimes you drive me crazy with your absentmindedness."

"Apology accepted," Dean grumbled.  "Can we just head to the venue and get in a workout?  I need to work off some frustration and maybe if I tire myself out I can actually get some sleep tonight."

"I don't think you're going to have to worry about that," Roman mumbled as he turned away from him.

"What?"

"Nothing, let's get going."

The pair made their way into the gym and went through their normal routine, but Dean was getting irritated because the rest of the roster kept staring at him, some approaching him to praise him on his statement, which had hit the website that morning, while others continued to believe that he was lying his ass off.

Uncomfortable, Dean told Roman he was going to go outside and get some air, which Roman knew actually meant he was going to smoke.

Roman took the opportunity to check in with Seth, who didn't answer.  He hoped that everything was going according to plan, because Dean was ready to blow and he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep him calm for much longer.

...

Seth grinned as the car pulled up to pick him and Kevin up.  That was even quicker than he'd imagined.  He'd have to thank Roman later.  Sitting back, Seth closed his eyes for a minute, trying to calm his racing heart.  As he pulled up to his destination, he let Kevin out on his leash and then leaned over to get his suitcase. 

He jumped as suddenly Kevin was barking and trying to get away from him.  Turning, Seth looked up and realized why his dog was going nuts: he'd already found the one person Seth wanted to see most right now.

Dean stomped out his cigarette, debating on whether to light another one or go back in and continue to face the music, rubbing over his face, he suddenly heard familiar barking, sure he was now losing his mind on top of everything else.

Moving his hand back down and looking out into the lot, his eyes widened as he first saw Kevin struggling against his leash and then followed it up to see Seth who had frozen when he realized he was standing there.

"Seth?" Dean gave a hysterical laugh, sure that his lack of sleep combined with his high stress level was now causing him to make up visions of what he was quickly coming to think of as his family.  He was missing his boyfriend and their dog so much already that he'd conjured them up.

"Fuck!" he turned around hitting at the brick wall behind him.

Seeing his distress, Seth quickly leaned in to pay the driver before grabbing his bag and making his way over, Kevin still barking like crazy, trying to get to the man he'd already grown attached to.

"D, are you alright?  Should I not have come?" Seth's bright eyes had quickly dulled at Dean's reaction to seeing him.

Freezing at the sound of footsteps and the barking growing closer, Dean turned around, staring at him in disbelief before stepping forward and reaching out to touch his arm, "Seth?"

"Babe, are you okay?" Seth asked him, growing concerned.

"Fuck, you're really here!  I thought I'd really gone over the edge this time and had conjured you up because I was missing you so damn much," suddenly Seth had a armful of his boyfriend, who was clinging to him, tangling Kevin's leash between them.  Seth pushed him back, grabbing his hand to make sure he hadn't done any real damage with his punch.

Pulling back with a grin, Dean leaned down to Kevin's level, "Hey boy, did you miss me because I've really missed you!" looking back up at Seth, Dean smiled, "Your dog and I had our routine down and I've been lost without it the last couple of days."

"Yeah, well we've been lost without you too," Seth crouched down next to them, one hand still clutching the leash as the other wound itself through Dean's curls in a kind of caress.

Pulling him forward, Seth attacked his lips with his own, frowning and pulling back as the smell and taste of Dean's cigarette flooded his own mouth, "Do you really need to smoke babe?"

"Sorry Princess," Dean's hand cupped Seth's cheek.  "I've really cut back, but when I get stressed it's a distraction for me.  Let's go back to my locker room and I'll pop some mints and we can revisit this moment."

Standing up, Dean offered him his hand, pulling him up beside him, "Not that I'm not overjoyed to see you, but what are you doing here?  You have work in the morning baby and I don't want you to do anything that's going to screw things up for you anymore than they already are."

Seth grinned at him, giving his hand a squeeze, "It's all good.  After we talked to the reporter yesterday, I just couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to be with you.  You were there for me when I was having trouble at work and with my family and Patrick, I just felt I should be here to help you deal with the comments and the looks and maybe help smooth things over with your bosses.  I hate that you're being punished because of me!"

"No Princess, we've gone over this: none of this is your fault!" Dean said emphatically.

Seth shrugged before continuing, "Fine, but I still want to be here for you.  Besides, I told my boss that it was a good idea for us to make a public appearance together to show a united front.  He was surprisingly cool about me taking the day off and actually seemed pleased about the statement.  He's been letting me in on the big case he's working and I spent all night working ahead so that I won't have any problems. I've got to work on Friday, but then we'll have the rest of the weekend to ourselves."

Dean poked him, "I appreciate the gesture Princess.  You're pretty damn sneaky, I had no idea!  So does this mean you can come to Vegas with me?"

Seth grinned, "Yeah, Roman actually re-booked your flight for you so that we can sit together.  He was really great about everything.  He got me a car from the airport and he got me a seat for tonight and apparently found someone to watch Kevin while I'm out there watching you work."

"Damn!  I've been horrible to him today.  I couldn't sleep and everyone has been getting on my nerves and I kind of took it out on him because he yelled at me," Dean shared remorsefully.

"Yeah, he told me.  I told him he needed to be nicer to you, but you know he's just concerned and trying to take care of you," Seth poked him.

Dean rolled his eyes, "I know, I just wish he'd be a little less annoying about it, but I guess I owe him a apology and some thanks because he helped give me the best surprise possible.  I am so glad you are here Princess!  I can't wait to show you my house and have Kev and Blue meet."

Seth laughed, "I know that we'd be together tomorrow anyways, but I want to see your space, want to see Vegas and what drew you there.  We'll be apart enough as it is, you know?  Besides, I want my home to feel like yours and I was thinking we could see if there's anything you want to ship to my place that you can't live without or anything that you want to pack and bring along."

Dean began to pull him into the building, "The only thing I can't live without is Blue, but we can look around and figure out if there's anything you can see fitting in or us needing.  For the record, your place already feels like home to me."

Seth blushed as they entered the hall, Kevin trotting happily along beside them.  Suddenly, there was a loud squeal in front of them as Bayley spotted them and rushed over, getting on her knees before Kevin, "Oh my god, he's so cute!" Kevin squirmed as she enveloped him in a tight hug.

"He's a living thing hun, he still needs to breathe!" Dean quipped.

Bayley pulled back, but continued to squeal and ooh and ahh as Kevin grew more comfortable, beginning to lick her hand.  Her over-the-top reaction drew out her travel mate Sasha Banks, who began jumping up and down, asking if she could hold their furry buddy.

Rolling his eyes, Dean told them they could come by the locker room later and play with him, but that he and Seth needed to get going at the moment. 

As they continued down the hall, Seth was a bit taken aback by all the whispering and looks thrown their way.  He'd known that Dean had been dealing with a lot of gossip, but actually feeling and seeing it was a bit unsettling.  He couldn't imagine what Dean had been going through. These were strangers to him, but Dean had to work with these people every day.

Dean's grip on his hand grew tighter, but he looked right back at them, pleased when he made them turn away.

They'd just made it to the door of The Shield's locker room when they were accosted by Kevin Owens who appeared out of nowhere, "Dean, Seth," he nodded at them.  "Sami with you?" he asked Seth.

Seth tried not to laugh, "No, sorry man."

Kevin's face grew stony, "Oh, well I'm pretty busy tonight anyways.  Got a lot going on, but you know, if you happen to talk to him, maybe you could tell him to give me a call."

Seth nodded, "Sure, I can do that.  I'm sure he'd love to hear from you though.  I know for a fact that he's not working this evening."

Kevin shuffled his feet, "Oh, yeah, yeah maybe," looking down, he stared at the dog, "The little rat yours?"

Seth glared at him, "He's not a rat, he's a Yorkie."

Owens held his hands up, "No offense man, just saying.  What's his name?"

Dean smirked, "Kevin, fitting for a dog, don't you think?"

Owens was the one glaring now, "Not funny Ambrose, what's his real name?"

Seth interrupted, "It really is Kevin.  He's named after an old pet I had growing up.  If you're done insulting my dog, we got to go."

"Again, no offense man, he's cute in a weird kind of way I guess. I'm actually a pretty big animal lover. I like animals better than I like people actually," Kevin explained.

Seth nodded, "Yeah Dean told me you like to take people to the zoo with you.  That's pretty cool.  Maybe later you can tell me if you have any pets of your own and I can tell you about Sami's favorites," Seth tried to smooth things over, not wanting to drive away one of the few people still talking to Dean, even if it was someone he found annoying.

Brightening up again, Owens agreed as he took off down the hall, shouting to Chris Jericho who had just came out of their shared locker room, "Chris, you'll never guess what just happened!"

Amused, Dean and Seth made their way into the room, Roman looking up from the bench he was sitting on, scrolling through his phone, "Hey Seth!  I was wondering why you weren't answering my texts!  Good to see you made it."

Seth moved forward, bumping his fist in greeting as Dean straddled the bench behind him, pulling him into a bear hug, "Thanks Ro!  I'm sorry I've been a bitch to you all day."

Roman laughed at his words, shaking his head, "Yeah, well, it's lucky I'm used to your bitchiness.  I'm hoping that getting you laid tonight will help give you a attitude adjustment," he ducked the punch Dean threw at him, chuckling as Seth's giggles turned into a snort.

Dean raised his eyebrows at him, "There's the dork I've grown to love!"

Roman continued to laugh as the pair stared one another down.  Hating to break up their little reunion, but knowing the clock was ticking, he turned to Dean, "Hunter wants to see us before our match so we better go see what he wants.  Seth, I've got someone coming to take you to your seat and Bo just had a promo to film tonight and is free so he's going to come hang with Kevin for a bit."

Seth nodded, "Thanks man."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Fuck Hunter and his bullshit meetings!  I'm staying with Seth until we have to head out there for our match."

"D!," Seth protested.  "You need to stay on their good side, right?  Just go see what he wants.  I'm not going anywhere, maybe I'll go back down the hall and let Bayley and Sasha play with Kev."

Dean was not appeased, but he reluctantly followed Roman out after sharing a quick kiss with his boyfriend, who made another disgusted face at the cigarette taste. 

Throwing his bag down, Seth took off Kevin's leash and picked him up, heading back down to where they'd seen the girls, but he was suddenly stopped as a blond pixie suddenly appeared in front of him, a murderous look on her face.

"Who the hell do you think you are showing up here and embarrassing Dean like this?"

Biting his tongue, Seth held his hand out to her, "Hello Renee, I'm Seth Rollins.  You know, Dean's boyfriend.  I've been wanting to meet you."

She ignored his hand, instead sneering, "Is that so?"

Seth nodded, "Yes, I wanted to look you in the eyes and try to figure out what kind of a bitch could screw over a guy like Dean the way you have.  So tell me, just what was it my ex offered you that made you willing to fabricate your ridiculous story?"

Focused on her, Seth didn't notice all of the other eyes on them or the way they'd all inched around them, glued to the dramatic scene.  He also didn't notice the door opening to his right and the surprised face that poked out, then hurried away, heading down the hall at a fast pace.

 

 

 

 

 

 


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small chapter...longer one will be up tomorrow when I'm back in town.

Dean and Roman made their way out of Hunter's office, both stunned by the news that they were in line to finally win the tag team titles. 

Apparently, part of Vince's anger about Dean's name being dragged through the mud was the fact that it made him possibly have to re-work his storyline. 

As Dean had begun to protest again, Hunter had interrupted him and reassured them that Vince and he were satisfied with the way he was handling the situation and that they would be moving forward as planned.

Dean explained that Seth had come to visit in hopes that being seen together would do more to cement their statement and Hunter agreed, promising to make sure that some photo opportunities were created as well.

Heading back to their locker room, Dean and Roman chatted about how they were finally going to be back in the title picture after being ignored for so long. 

The Shield was finally going to be back on top where they belonged.  They both knew that somewhere down the line they would have to part and pursue their own individual title dreams, but for now they're partnership would be continuing.

As they turned the corner, Dean wasn't paying attention and found himself running right into someone hurrying the other way. 

As he turned around to apologize, the man turned away from him and practically continued to run down the hall.  Catching a quick glimpse of the man's face, Dean gasped, "Fuck!  I swear that was Randy!"

Looking back, Roman's face darkened, "I'll go after him, you go make sure Seth is safe!"

Nodding, Dean hurried away, happy to see Seth in the middle of the hallway,  but then he winced as he realized he was facing down Renee.

...

Seth couldn't believe this bitch had the nerve to stand there and act so self-righteous towards him.  She was the one spreading lies, but she was going to act like he was in the wrong!

"Seriously, what is Patrick doing for you?" he sneered.

"Seth!" he turned around at the sound of Dean's voice.

"Babe, what's up?" he asked seeing Dean hurrying frantically towards him.

"Randy was here, he was just running down the hallway.  Ro went after him," Dean explained as he came to stand next to him.

Seth whirled around on Renee, "So maybe it wasn't my ex who has been feeding you his lies, huh?  Want to tell me what the hell his best friend is doing here?"

"It's none of your business!" Renee spat back at him.

Moving forward, Dean got up in her face, "Wrong answer sweetheart!  I can get Hunter out here and you can explain it to him instead," he began to turn away.

"No!  I'm just trying to protect you!" Renee pleaded with him.

Dean turned back in disbelief, "You're protecting me by spreading lies?  You messed with my job Renee!"

"You won't have a job after he's done with you!  He's playing you for a fool.  He wants your money and he's using you to make his ex jealous," she stated.

"Fuck!" Seth said.  "I think she really believes that."

Dean frowned, "Did Randy feed you these lies?"

Renee reluctantly shared, "We met at a bar in Iowa and we've been dating ever since.  When he realized you were seeing Seth, he warned me.  He told me how he tore apart his best friend's life.  He had no problem hooking up with you when he was engaged and this wasn't the first time.  There are pictures of him with the others.  I'm so sorry Dean."

Seth's eyes widened as he turned to Dean, "Fuck, has he been following me since the beginning?"

Dean winced, "I wouldn't put it past him."

Seth turned back to Renee, "My ex is a abusive asshole who put me in the hospital.  That is why I left him and why we haven't been together in over a year.  I went on a few dates with others since then and I'm sure that's where the pictures came from.  For the record, I dated one for a few weeks, but it didn't end up going anywhere.  Patrick and I were never engaged.  I have my own money and I don't need Dean's.  I'm in love with him and we're trying to build a future together."

Dean grinned at his public proclamation, "Love you too," he turned to Renee.  "I'm sorry you got mixed up in this mess, but you had no right to spread lies about what we are to one another.  You let these two assholes play you and now my boyfriend and I are paying the price.  Fuck, even Roman has been affected by this shit!"

Renee's face fell, "I, I just wanted to help you!  You're my friend."

Before Dean could respond, Seth jumped in, "If that's true, then retract your story.  Help us back up the statement we made."

She looked at them and had just opened her mouth to speak when Roman walked up, shoving Randy in front of him, "Hey boys, look who I found!"

 

 

 


	38. Chapter 38

Dean looked back at Renee, "Did you mean what you said about wanting to help me?"

Renee nodded, "You've been a great friend to me Dean.  I honestly didn't want to see you get hurt."

"If that's true, then help us make this right.  Let's take this scumbag to Hunter and Vince and let them figure out how to handle it," Dean urged her.

Turning to Randy, who was struggling to get out of Roman's tight grip, Renee stared at him before quietly asking, "Was this really all some sort of work?  Do I mean anything to you at all?"

Randy pleaded with her, "Of course you do babe!  I had no idea who you were when I met you in that bar.  When I realized you knew him, I just wanted to warn you.  I thought you'd want to know that Seth was going to destroy his life the way he did my best friend's."

"Let him go," Seth stated quietly, looking at Roman.

"I'm sorry, what?" Roman asked, confused.

"Can you let him go?" Seth stated again.

Roman looked at Dean with his eyebrows raised.  Dean shook his head at him.

Dean turned back towards Seth, "Princess, what are you thinking?  This weasel will just try to run.  If we take him to my bosses now we can help clear up some of this mess."

Seth sighed, "He's bought into all of Patrick's lies the same way that I did.  He doesn't even know what he's doing.  Let him go and maybe we can have a actual conversation like adults," he sent a pointed look Randy's way.  "If we let you go, you have to promise to give me 15 minutes of your time to talk.  After that, you're free to go."

Dean growled under his breath, but nodded at Roman, who let Randy go as the man agreed, "15 minutes, but this isn't going to change anything.  I already know what you're all about!"

Leading the way, Roman made his way back to their locker room, the others following silently. 

Seth moved to Dean's side, reaching out for a hand and giving it a squeeze, his way of thanking him for standing back and letting him do this his way.

Inside, Seth sat Kevin down and pulled out his phone, swiping until he found the file of photos Finn had taken, the ones he'd convinced him to keep, but hoped to never view again.

"This is who your friend is," he said as he handed Randy his phone and turned away, moving to the corner of the room and crouching down to wrestle with Kevin, trying desperately to push his memories away.

Randy scoffed as he looked down before gasping at the graphic image looking back at him.

Dean moved forward to see, his chest seizing as he took in the image of his boyfriend bruised, bloodied and battered, barely recognizable in his hospital gown.

He'd known about Seth's injuries, but hearing about them and actually seeing them were two entirely different things.

Renee began to cry as she took it in and Roman turned towards Seth, looking back and forth between him and the photo, trying to reconcile the two. 

Hand trembling, Randy swiped through the other photos, "Shit!" he said under his breath, wincing as he shut it down.

As he, Roman and Renee tried to come to terms with the facts, Dean turned his attentions to his boyfriend, recognizing the tenseness in his shoulders.

Striding forward, he kneeled behind him, gently rubbing his shoulders, happy as Seth seemed to instantly relax.

Leaning forward, he whispered, "Never again baby.  That monster will never touch you on my watch!"

Seth turned his face towards him, grateful to find nothing but concern in his expression.  Not caring about their company, Seth drew him into a gentle kiss, Dean laughing as Seth drew back, face screwed up again.

"I guess I really should grab those mints, huh?" Dean laughed.

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, "Or just not smoke at all!"

Dean gave him the finger as he got up moving towards his bag and popping his mint with glee, earning him a glare.

They both focused back in as Roman coughed, trying to get them back on track.

Seth stood up and walked back over to Randy, taking back his phone, "I never did anything but love him.  I really thought he felt the same about me.  The first time he hit me, I dismissed it, made excuses.  Then it kept happening and I convinced myself it must be me.  I must have done something to make him do it.  I believed him when he apologized.  Hell, if it wasn't for my friends, I probably would have went crawling back even after he put me in the hospital.  I'll forever be grateful to them for convincing me I deserved better," Seth shuddered.  "I just wish I hadn't bowed down to my boss and our families.  He should have paid for what he did, but I can't go back and change it.  All I can do is try to move forward with my life.  That is what Dean is: he's my future, the one I've worked hard for."

Dean melted at the loving look he threw him, his heart racing as he absorbed Seth's devotion.  In the past, that level of feeling would have had him running for the hills, but now he just felt a blooming feeling of happiness.

With a soft grin, he moved to Seth's side, drawing him against him as they all looked at Randy.

Feeling uncomfortable, Randy shifted around  before finally letting his eyes raise towards Seth's, "He's been my friend my whole life.  I just can't see it.  There has to be more to the story!"

Seth smiled sadly at him, "I know, I wanted to believe the same thing, but it just kept happening.  I was his victim and in a way so are you.  He's always used you to cover up for him.  I didn't see it until later, but he always left you to fight his battles when he did something or rubbed someone the wrong way.  He's weak."

"He's a coward," Roman chimed in.

Renee wiped her tears as she stepped towards Seth, sadly sharing, "I'm sorry for any pain I've caused you.  I genuinely believed you were out to hurt Dean, but seeing you two together makes it clear: you make him happy, happier than I ever thought he was capable of." 

Seth smiled at her, "Thanks for that.  Like Dean said, we're sorry you got mixed up in our crap, but if you're really genuine about wanting to be there for Dean, you will retract your story."

She nodded as she turned to Dean, "I'm glad you've found someone who treats you right.  I'll talk to Hunter later and see what I can do."

Dean moved forward, surprising her with a hug as he whispered to her, "Thank you, I'd like to say the same to you, but the jury's still out on that one," Dean gave her another squeeze before releasing her.

Meanwhile, Randy and Seth continued to stare at one another until Randy finally broke the silence, "I need some time to think.  I'm sorry if I've made things difficult for you, but I just can't betray him, not yet anyways."

Seth nodded, "I can understand that.  I just want your eyes to be open.  Don't blindly continue to follow him because eventually you're going to be the one who pays for his mistakes.  There was a time when we were friends; workout partners even.  You're the only friend of his I could stomach; I'd hate to see you pulled under because of him."

Dean moved in front of him, "You've got a good girl there: don't screw it up!"

Roman stared him down as he left, Renee following behind him.

Seth's shoulders slumped as the door closed behind them, "This wasn't the evening I was hoping for!"

Dean pulled him in for a hug, "Hey, at least we know how the bastard got that article together and now we have Renee on our side."

Roman threw his arms around the pair of them, "Never a dull moment with you two!"

They all turned at the knock on the door, Roman moving to let Bo and Paul in.  Seth grinned as Bo moved joyfully towards Kevin, "He's adorable!"

They all watched as he sat down next to him, Kevin crawling into his lap, tongue wagging.

Dean raised his eyebrows at Seth as he shrugged.

Seth turned to Paul who was ready to take him to his seat.  After sharing a quick kiss with Dean, fist bumping Roman and thanking Bo, they headed out.

...

Seth quickly found his tension easing as he got into the show, caught up in the evening's tag team tournament. 

The teams were competing for a championship opportunity at the next pay per view against current champions Cesaro and Sheamus.

He found himself rooting for Kevin and Chris against New Day, chuckling to himself at the revelation.

Not having even thought about it, he jumped to his feet as The Shield's music began to play.  He grinned as he watched Dean and Roman walk through the crowd, Dean sending him a satisfied wink.

He cheered himself hoarse as the pair battled the Wyatt's Harper and Rowan.  With the win seemingly in their control, Roman prepared to spear Harper as the lights went out.

Seth groaned as he realized Bray was coming to ruin things once again.  Sure enough, as the lights went on, he was standing over Roman, who was laid out on the floor.

This time, however, Dean was ready, avoiding Harper's attack and knocking Rowan off the apron.  As he faced down Bray, Roman got his strength back as he rose behind him.

Sharing a look, Roman pushed him into Dean's Dirty Deeds, the pair then putting him up for a double power bomb.

They then turned around, waiting as Harper slid back in the ring to avoid the count out.

Dean slid back to his corner, surprised when Roman turned and tagged him in, slapping him on the back.

With a sneer, he took Harper down, quickly pinning him for the three count.

Roman came in to celebrate, the pair elated at the first step to their championship run.

Out in the crowd, Seth found himself high fiveing those around him.

With a grin, Seth watched as Dean came out to the crowd, exchanging his own high fives with his fans before making his way to Seth, pulling him to him and lifting him up off his feet for a moment before bringing him down for a kiss that clearly stated he was his for all those watching.

Backstage, Hunter grinned as he saw their photographer capturing the image.  If he played this right, he could have it running on all the major news sites by tomorrow.

His attention was suddenly split as Renee appeared next to him, "Can I talk to you for a minute?  There's something you need to know."

 

 

 

 

 


	39. Chapter 39

After Dean and Roman disappeared back behind the curtains, Seth quickly made his own way to the back, his heart still racing after Dean's very public, very possessive kiss.

He didn't see them wandering around so moved on to their locker room.  Walking inside, he grinned as he found Bo playing catch with a ecstatic Kevin.

"You're making his day.  He's a major attention hog!" Seth stated as he watched his dog run around.

"Just like his dad," Dean announced his arrival as he slid his arms around Seth's waist, pulling him to him.

Seth looked up at him, his head against Dean's shoulder, "You're one to talk!" he stuck his tongue out at him as Dean tried to grab at it.

"Children!" Roman said in a stern tone, his hands on his hips.

Playing into it, both Dean and Seth looked down in shame as they simultaneously announced, "Sorry!"

Roman's face broke as he chuckled, "You two are too much!"

"That means he loves us," Dean explained.  "I've perfected reading between the lines when the Big Dog talks."

Roman rolled his eyes giving Dean a shove, "You wish!  I tolerate you at best," once again he couldn't get the words out without a smile, reaching up and ruffling his hair.

As they began to wrestle with one another, Seth turned back to Bo, "Thanks again man!"

Bo shrugged, "My pleasure.  My dog passed away last year and with my schedule I haven't had a chance to get by the shelter and see if I can connect with another animal.  This has been a blast; he's pretty sweet."

Seth nodded, "I don't know what I'd do without him, he really is my best friend."

Bo leaned over to give Kevin one last pet before getting ready to leave, "We riding together next week?" he asked Roman and Dean, who stopped their tussling to answer.

"Sure thing man," Dean nodded at him as Roman murmured in agreement.

As the door shut behind Bo, Seth turned back to Dean, "We better go catch our flight."

Dean nodded, "Right, but first you should know Renee talked to Hunter, he stopped us on our way back.  Her recanting will be published tomorrow along with some pictures Hunter had taken tonight.  Are you okay with that?"

Seth winced at the uncertainty on Dean's face.  He knew somewhere in Dean's head he was still expecting to be rejected because Seth couldn't handle the attention.

Moving forward, he grabbed Dean's hands, "I already told you that one of the reasons for this trip was to show a united front.  I'm not saying I'm completely comfortable with the publicity, but I know it's necessary."

"Okay," Dean squeezed his hands as he turned to Roman.  "That win felt good man.  Two more to go before we can get our hands on those belts!"

Roman smiled holding out his fist, "You can believe that Uce!" 

After bumping it with his own, both Dean and Roman hit the showers and got dressed as Seth scrolled through his phone messages and emails, lazily throwing the ball to Kevin, who eagerly kept bringing it back.  Looking down at him, Seth laughed, "At least you'll be nice and passed out before another plane ride."

Dean came back into the room, whistling as he packed up, Roman not far behind.  Stepping over to him, Roman gave Dean a quick hug before turning to Seth, coming forward to grab a hug, "Good to see you Seth.  Thanks for making this one more bearable!" he gestured back to Dean, making Seth giggle and Dean grumble.

"Let me know when you guys land D," he turned back to Dean.  "Enjoy your time off and see ya Monday."

Dean raised a eyebrow at Seth, "Ready Princess?"

Seth nodded, leaning over to grab his bag and Kevin's leash, reattaching it as he reached over to grab Dean's hand, the pair making their way out of the room and down the hall, nodding at Kevin and Chris who were hanging out in the hall and Bayley and Sasha, who stopped them to pet Kevin one last time, making them promise they'd bring him back to one of the shows soon.

They were just about to the parking lot, when they got waylaid by Antonio Cesaro, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, clapping Dean on his back as he bellowed, "Dean and Seth, good to see you!  Just wanted to say I think what you guys said to the media was cool, very cool, man."

"Um, thanks?" Dean muttered, a bit surprised by the sentiment.

Cesaro just nodded, turning to Seth, "So Roman was telling me that you own a piece of a gym.  You ever think about expanding?  I've got a couple of friends who have been talking about something similar, but if I'm going to invest I want to know that Crossfit is going to be a big part of it."

"Sure, but we've got to catch a flight right now.  Dean can give you my number and maybe we can talk more about this next week sometime?" Seth wasn't quite sure if he actually wanted to do that, but as usual, his manners won out.

"Oh, sure, sure, I'll let you guys go then and I'll get that number from Deano here when I see him next," Cesaro clapped him on the back again before moving aside. 

Once Seth and Dean made it through the doors and to the car waiting to take them to the airport, they chanced a look at one another, dissolving into laughter before settling into the back seat, Kevin curled up in Dean's lap.

...

The minute they were settled into their seats on the plane, after having made sure Kevin was well taken care of, the pair quickly settled against one another, both of them exhausted after having gotten no sleep the night before and all of the excitement of the day.

After getting a couple of waters and asking for a blanket, Dean spread it out over them both, his arms settling around Seth as his head came to rest against Dean's chest, "Love you baby," he whispered in Seth's ear.  "I'm so glad you're coming home with me."

Seth tried to snuggle even closer, wishing the seat arm wasn't in the way, "Love you too," he murmured.  "I belong wherever you are, so it was a pretty easy decision."

Dean grinned dopily at his words as he let his eyes close, "Get some rest Princess...you're going to need it!"

Seth giggled, "Promise?"

"Count on it!" Dean stated drowsily.  As he drifted off, the last thing he was aware of was Seth kissing his cheek, "Night babe."

...

All too soon, Dean woke up in a haze, the pilot's landing announcement breaking through his sleep.  Looking at the time, he saw that it was around 2am Vegas time.

Trying to stretch without disturbing Seth who was still fast asleep against him, Dean waited until he had to before gently shaking him, whispering in his ear, "Wakey, wakey Princess.  We're getting ready to land."

Seth moaned, snuggling against him, "No, still tired."

Dean laughed, "I have no problem carrying you off the plane Princess, but I feel you might have a problem with that."

Seth's eyes opened to glare at him, "I'm not looking at any pictures of that on the news tomorrow!"

Dean poked him, "Then you better get up.  I promise as soon as we get to my place, you can crawl back into bed."

Groaning, Seth began to drag himself away, "Tell me you have a comfortable bed!"

Dean laughed, "The best, besides I thought all you needed was me!"

Seth poked him back, "I do, but a nice bed won't hurt!"

As the plane came to a stop, the pair slowly stood up, grabbing their bags and then heading to pick up Kevin.  Satisfied, they had everything, Dean led them to his car and piled their bags in before sliding into the driver's seat and taking off, Seth immediately reaching for his hand.

Dean's knee was bouncing as he drove around the Strip.  Seth was taking in the view, but got distracted when he saw Dean's nervous energy.

He squeezed his hand to get his attention, "Babe, everything alright?"

Dean focused back in as he threw a quick look his way, "Yeah, just excited for you to be here and to see Blue."

"Oh," now Seth looked excited.  "Are you getting him now?  I figured you'd get him in the morning!"

Dean grinned at his enthusiasm, "I had my friend bring him by earlier.  He already walked and fed him, but he's still going to be a nervous wreck having me home and meeting a new person and a new dog."

Seth was practically bouncing in his seat as he turned to address Kevin, "Did you hear that boy?  We're about to make a new friend!"

Kevin barked back at him, making them both laugh.

Before long, the Strip was far behind them and they'd entered the desert area where Dean lived.

Finally, Dean sighed as his house came into view.  It had been far too long since he'd been here and he wondered what Seth would think of it.

Pulling in the driveway, Seth took in its massive structure and how isolated it was.  They'd driven by some other homes in the area, but they were few and far between.

Stepping out of the car, Dean laughed as Blue appeared in the window, barking wildly.

He helped Seth grab the bags before grasping his hand and heading in with Kevin at their heels.

Letting go to grab his keys and open the door, Dean turned towards his boyfriend as he pushed the door open, eyes glued to his face, "Welcome to our second home," he gestured, filling Seth's heart with warmth.

Seth stepped inside, immediately assaulted by a massive ball of energy as Dean's bulldog leaned against him, still barking loudly.

"Blue, get down!" Dean commanded.

Tail wagging, Blue threw himself at his owner instead, Dean dropping the bags as he picked his boy up.

"Hey boy, did you miss me, huh?  I missed you.  I'm so glad you're feeling better!" Dean chuckled as Blue began to lick his face happily, tail wagging.  "Guess what buddy, I've got someone for you to meet!"

Dean moved over to Seth, who had set his own bag down, "Princess, meet the other guy in my life...Seth, Blue, Blue, Seth!" Seth giggled at Dean's wild gestures.

He reached out, gently petting Blue who moved his head back, asking for more.  Grinning at the image, Dean gave his own happy giggle.

After a few moments, Dean sat him down on the floor, the pair of dogs at eye level, "Kev, Blue, why don't you get to know one another while we nap!"

Grabbing Seth's hand, Dean led him up to his room.

Warily, the bulldog and the Yorkie eyed one another.  Neither were sure what the hell was going on, but they both knew they didn't like it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	40. Chapter 40

The pair didn't even bother with their luggage or with changing, just shoving off their shoes and snuggling under the covers.  It didn't take long for them both to doze off, their arms wrapped tightly around one another.

Hours later, Dean was woken up by aggressive scratching at his bedroom door.  Groaning, he rolled over and yelled, "Give it a rest boys, we'll be down in a bit!"

Next to him, Seth giggled as he slowly opened his eyes and stretched, sitting up a bit, "What time s'it?" he mumbled.

Dean glanced at his clock as he answered, "10, Kev has to be the instigator because Blue's used to me sleeping in and not taking him out until later."

Seth nodded, "Yeah, my little monster is on my time.  You can go back to sleep if you want, I'll take them out.  Where's Blue's leash and should I feed him too?"

Dean yawned as he stretched his back, "Nah, we can go together.  I want them to get used to it being the four of us and with the way they were eyeing one another last night, I'm thinking that might take a minute."

Seth's eyebrows raised at him, "How did they look?"

Dean laughed, "If looks could have killed..." he trailed off.

Seth smirked, "So you think we're going to have some sibling rivalry on our hands?"

Dean shrugged, "Blue's used to it being the two of us against the world and Kev and you are the same way.  I think it would be weird not to expect a little friction."

Seth nodded, "Kev got used to you pretty quick though."

Dean agreed, "Yeah, but there's a difference between you adding a human male to the equation and another male of their species.  They've got to defend their turf, right?  I think we may have to make sure neither of our boys feel neglected right now.  If we show them both equal attention then they will settle in better."

Seth stood up, doing some more stretching, "Sounds pretty reasonable and rational to me!" Seth squinted at him with a smirk.  "You are my boyfriend right?  You haven't been snatched up by aliens have you?"

Dean got up and gave him a shove, "Haha!  Even lunatics have some moments of lucidity and rationality."

Seth giggled at him as he drew him to him for a hug, before giving him a push towards the bathroom, "Let's shower and give them their walk and then you can really show me your place."

Dean reached back and pulled him along quickly.

...

Seth ended up borrowing some of Dean's clothes since they hadn't bothered bringing their luggage upstairs. 

The second the pair hit the stairs, they were assaulted with dual barking, both dogs appearing at the bottom looking up at them.

"How are we doing boys?" Dean asked as he knelt down to pet each of them, Blue snarling as Dean moved over to Kevin.  Turning back, Dean scolded him, "Hey, stop it!"

As Blue whined, Seth found himself on the other end after greeting Kevin and moving on to Blue, who practically threw himself in his lap, still upset about getting yelled at by Dean.  The second that Seth's hand moved away from Kevin, he began to whine then bark, nipping at Seth's leg.

Rolling his eyes, Seth turned back to him, "No Kevin!  I have more than enough attention for both of you!" 

Seth sat down flat on the floor, reaching out and pulling both dogs over to him, Kevin eagerly crawled onto one side of Seth's lap, but Blue's size made it a bit more difficult for him.  Laughing, Dean picked him up before sliding down to sit against Seth, pulling Blue into his own lap as the pair of dogs eyed one another warily.

Seth had to stifle his laughter as Dean launched into a stern lecture on how to behave with one another as if they were two toddlers.  The best part was that both dogs were enraptured with his voice, staring back intently at him.

Laying his head on Dean's shoulder with a happy sigh, Dean turned to look down at him, "Everything okay Princess?"

Seth grinned up at him, "Perfect babe.  I was just thinking that I finally have a true family to call my own," he blushed a bit, but kept eye contact with him.

Nudging him gently, Dean stated, "You do; you, me and the boys are all we need."

Seth nodded leaning up to kiss Dean's cheek, "I love you."

Dean ruffled his hair, "Love you too, but I think we better get these two grumps out for their walk," standing up, Dean held his hand out to him, helping him up as they grabbed leashes and got the dogs ready to go.

Outside, Blue set off confidently, leading the rest along to the dog park that Dean took him to everyday he could.  There, Dean let the pair go to play on the grass, laughing as the feel of freedom over road any reservations that they had about one another, both leaping at the Frisbees Dean had brought along for them.

Looking around at the mountain view in the background, Seth turned his face up to the sun, "I can see why you chose here: it's beautiful and private."

Dean peered around thoughtfully before looking over at him, "Yeah, I mean the neighbors I do have keep to themselves for the most part, but everyone is friendly, you know?  I love working out in the desert and the heat doesn't bother me at all like it does some people."

Seth frowned as he looked at him, "Are you really okay with spending most of our time in Iowa?  I know the gym is a pale substitute for being outdoors."

Shaking his head, Dean walked over to him, pulling him back into his arms as he rested his head on top of his, "I told you that it felt like home to me the minute I stepped in there.  I like living out here, but it's no hardship for me to leave.  We can come back whenever we want and when I'm this way I can still say here and get my workout, but at the end of the day I need to be with you and you're the one with the job you can't leave behind.  Besides, you have friends and family out there and I don't really have anyone here.  I've lived my life as a loner for the most part so it just makes more sense to base ourselves there rather than here."

Satisfied with his answer, Seth reached up to pull his arms around him, laying hands on his own as they watched the dogs run around trying to catch the birds flying above them.

They let them work off their energy and aggression for a bit before Dean whistled for them to come back over.  After getting them back on their leashes, they headed back to Dean's place.

...

After getting the dogs fed, making sure that their bowls were on opposite ends of the kitchen, Dean turned to Seth and grabbed his hand, "Ready for that tour now?" he cocked his head at him.

Nodding eagerly, he followed along as Dean led him through the house, Seth humming appreciatively as he took in Dean's massive basement gym, his living room and his entertainment room, his screened in back porch and pool area, guest bedrooms and then back into his upscale kitchen, the stainless appliances gleaming at them.

"So, what do you think?" Dean asked curiously.

"I think it's you," Seth said back simply.  "It's not flashy or over the top, but it's still state of the art, you know?  Minimal and practical, but still somehow embodies your spirit."

Dean peered at him quizzically, "You get all that from this?" he asked gesturing around.

Seth laughed, "Of course I do!  I think I'm getting to be able to read you pretty well and I wondered if this place would reflect that and it does."

Dean shrugged, "Okay...I guess I can see the same thing with you and your place.  Think we'll be able to make the two both feel like ours together?"

Seth grinned shyly, "If you mean can we mesh our styles, we've been doing a pretty great job of it so far?  I asked you before if there was anything you wanted to bring to make our home feel more like yours, but I can do the same on my end for the next time we come here.  I'd love to know that we're building our life together in both."

Looking around thoughtfully, Dean began to talk, "Honestly, some clothes, some photos, maybe a few odds and ends, but there's nothing I feel I'm missing.  I think it might be cool for us to do some shopping together and find some stuff for the house."

Seth grinned at him, "We can do that..." he trailed off as Dean turned to look at him.

"Everything alright Princess?" Dean asked.

Seth shrugged, looking at everything but him, "S'fine," he mumbled, biting his bottom lip nervously.  "I, I was just thinking that maybe we could go upstairs?"

Dean was confused, why was he suddenly acting embarrassed about them being intimate?  He thought they'd long passed the point of shyness and nervousness with one another, "Any time baby, you should know that by now!"

Nodding, Seth turned around, "Alright, let's grab our luggage and go."

Still a bit confused, Dean did as he asked, letting Seth drag him along behind him and up to his room.  Inside, Seth let go of his hand as he leaned over, opening his suitcase and feeling around.

Dean was beginning to get angry about the silence when Seth suddenly spun around in a moment of pure confidence and flung something at him.  As Dean jumped, he reflexively reached out and grasped the item, not realizing the significance until he was staring down at the bright pink handcuffs he had tried to surprise Seth with.

Stunned, he raised his eyes to his boyfriend, who for once was meeting him head on.  Gulping, Dean gasped, "Are, are you sure?"

Stepping closer to him, until he was right up in Dean's space, his body heat overwhelming Dean as he growled, "I want you to show me babe.  I need you to help me prove to myself that I can try new things without him intruding on it.  I may need you to go slow, but I want to try.  Can you do that for me D?"

Unable to voice his assent, Dean leaned forward, drawing him into his arms as he kissed him helplessly.  Drawing back to breathe, he looked down at him and made himself gasp, "Going to make you feel so good Princess!" before capturing his lips once again.


	41. Chapter 41

Seth shivered as Dean picked him up and carried him to the bed, laying him down gently as if he was afraid he would break.  The look of adoration in his eyes was almost overwhelming. 

He knew that Dean would never have pushed for this, but he could see just how much it meant to him that Seth was willing to try it.

Dean's hand reached up moving through Seth's hair as he asked, "We're going to need safe words Princess.  What's the first thing that comes to mind?  Something you'd never say in bed?"

Seth's brow furrowed as he tried to think of something.  Suddenly, he smirked up at Dean as he murmured, "Crossfit."

Dean laughed, "Are you sure?  I mean, I know the thought of a good workout gets you all worked up!"

Seth punched him, "Shut up!  What about you?"

"Shield," Dean answered immediately.  "If either of us ever use those words we stop, no questions asked.  If we want to talk about it we can, but there's no obligation."

"Okay," Seth nodded.

"Beyond that, as we're trying things we can use the street light concept to keep us aware of where we're at," Dean went on as his hand moved to Seth's cheek, "Green means you're comfortable and want to proceed, yellow means back off a bit and red will tell me you're not comfortable and want to move on to something else.  Understand?"

Seth nodded again, his hand reaching up to take his, "Can we try now?"

Dean's eyes flashed at him as he answered, "Yeah, yeah we can do that," he leaned down, taking Seth's lips with his own, letting his body rest against his, just enjoying the feel of being wrapped around one another.

After making out for a bit, Dean leaned back, disposing of his clothes quickly before moving towards Seth, who leaned up to help him remove his own.

Satisfied, Dean gave him another quick kiss before standing up and grabbing for the handcuffs he'd dropped in his haste to get Seth to the bed.  As he crawled back up the bed towards him, he leaned over him, reaching for the side table, popping a drawer and pulling out his lube.

Seth's eyes widened as both items bounced on the pillow next to him, making him shiver a bit with anticipation.  He was both turned on and frightened by the thoughts swirling in his head.

Reading him perfectly, Dean leaned down, pressing his forehead against his own, "You with me Princess?" the second Seth focused on him, Dean continued.  "Say the word and the cuffs disappear right now and I proceed to make love to you until we can't move anymore."

Seth took a ragged breath, "No, I want it all D.  Green, green, I want you to!  Please babe, please!"

Beaming brightly at him, Dean slithered his body back across him, lining them up perfectly, "Shh, I've got you Princess.  Just let me take care of you baby," he gave him a kiss before sliding his lips across his cheek to his neck.

Seth's head moved back, baring his throat more as Dean's teeth nipped at him, Dean biting in harder breaking the skin and licking up the blood that began to swell from the mark he'd left behind.

Seth writhed against the bed as he gasped at the delicious pain, trying to both pull away and push to get more.  Dean chuckled deviously at his actions reaching down and pulling Seth's body up closer to him as he moved to the other side of his throat, giving him a matching mark.

Satisfied that he had his boyfriend in the right head space, he let him lay back flat on the bed again as he leaned down and reattached their mouths, stealing his breath with another desperate kiss as he reached over to grab the handcuffs while Seth was good and distracted.

Slowly, allowing him plenty of time to feel the action, Dean grasped both of Seth's hands, gently raising them above him and holding them there against the pillows before pulling away from their kisses and looking at him intently, "Last chance to back out baby," he dangled the cuffs in front of his face.

Blinking dazedly at him, Seth shook his head, "Not backing out.  Just do it!" he scooted himself back and up so his arms were now raised up behind him, right against the headboard.

Dean had to close his eyes at the rush of lust that came over him at the sight of a submissive Seth at his mercy, "Fuck baby, do you have any idea how hot you look right now?" Dean's eyes opened, causing Seth to shiver again as he saw just how dark his blue eyes had gotten, his pupils dilated and dazed.

"I think I might be able to come just from the way you're looking at me right now," Seth croaked out.

Dean chuckled again, "Oh baby, this is just the beginning, just wait!  I'm going to show you just how amazing this can be.  Do you trust me?"

"With my life," Seth said solemnly, once again hitting Dean straight in the heart, making him draw back and away from the bed.

"D?" Seth reached out towards him in concern, his voice growing tinier.  "Did I do something wrong?"

His back still towards him, Dean shook his head, trying to stave off the tears begging to be let out.  He didn't need to lose it right now, not when he was trying to make Seth feel safe and comfortable.

He didn't count on his boyfriend being just as stubborn as he was and was unprepared for him to suddenly be standing in front of him, drawing his hands away from his face as he forced him to look up at him, Seth's worry disappearing as he saw Dean's face, quickly seeing that he'd overwhelmed him.

"Hey," Seth drew Dean into his arms.  "I mean it, you know?  I trust you one hundred percent.  You are everything to me."

Dean nodded against him, letting himself go and his tears to flow, trusting that he could be vulnerable with Seth and not have to pay for it, "I do know even if I don't understand why.  No one has ever placed their trust in me the way you do.  I don't think I can ever make you understand just how much that means to me!"

"It's the same way that you trust me D.  Look, my friends don't think I can take care of myself, my family just sees the mistakes I make and you already know Patrick saw me as a object, not a equal partner.  This, this right here, is all new to me too.  It scares me just as much as it does you, but I want to get to the day where it isn't a surprise, where it's just a matter of fact between us.  Are you willing to fight it out with me until that day becomes a reality?" Seth asked pleadingly.

Taking a deep breath against him, Dean's arms squeezed him tighter, "Of course baby.  I just sometimes might need a moment to take it in."

Seth let out a joyous laugh, squeezing back, "Anytime babe, anytime!" he let out a yell as Dean picked him up unexpectedly, once again carrying him back to the bed and depositing him as he bounced a bit, his giggles breaking up making Dean laugh with him before pouncing back on him.

Seth moaned as Dean's tongue poked across his bottom lip, tangling with his own as their hands gripped one another again, Dean moving him back up and into position as he raised his hands above him again.  Drawing back, he gave him a wink as he picked up the padded handcuffs and secured his hands together before lacing them through the headboard.

Sitting back, he let Seth get used to the feeling of being restrained, grinning as he gently tugged on them, his eyes growing wide as he realized just how constrained he would be.

"All good Princess?" Dean asked, his eyes raking him head to toe, making Seth shiver.

"All good," he confirmed, unconsciously giving another tug at the cuffs.

Dean's tongue poked out as he admired him, "Color?"

"Green," Seth gasped, squirming at Dean's attention as he blushed.

Nodding, Dean moved back over him, "I knew these would look amazing on you Seth.  Pink is definitely your color!  Nothing but the best for my Princess," his voice dropped into a deep whisper as he hovered over his chest, his breath brushing it, making goosebumps appear across his skin.

"Touch me," Seth moaned, squirming around again, his eyes roaming Dean's body below him, his hands itching to touch.

With a evil grin, Dean let his hand roam up to his cheek, gently brushing it before letting it come to rest on his shoulder. 

He then sat back, letting Seth see just how hard he already was, letting his own hand glide down his chest, taking his cock in his hand and giving it a little stroke.

"I said touch me, you bastard, not yourself!" Seth hissed at him, eyes flashing.

Dean looked down to where their thighs were touching, "I am touching you Princess!" he said with a wink.

Seth let out a groan of frustration, shaking his head, "Deeeannn, you promised that I'd be enjoying this, not getting blue balls while you perform your own one-sided porno!"

Dean laughed, frustrated Seth was pretty hilarious.  It was nice to see his boyfriend let go of his tightly held control and just ask for what he wanted.  It was one of the many reasons he had wanted to do this in the first place.

Leaning over to give him a kiss, he came away laughing again as blood welled up on his lip from where Seth had just bit him, "Damn baby, I really pissed you off!"

In spite of himself, Seth found himself smiling up at him, "Only you D, only you could find me biting you funny!"

Dean shrugged, "What can I say, I like a man who can give as well as he takes!  And no one baby, no one has ever given and taken from me the way you do.  It's perfection!"

His face softening, Seth's voice dropped as he asked, "Get down here, please!"

Unable to truly deny him anything, Dean did just that, letting Seth lean up and kiss him deeply, his tongue owning and possessing him just the way he liked. 

As he drew back, Dean had to strain to hear his murmurs, "Love you Dean, so much.  Love how you look at me, how you touch me, how you make me feel like everything about myself matters."

Dean leaned down and stole another kiss before snuggling down against Seth's chest as he kissed him above his heart, laying his hand flat against it, feeling it beat rapidly, "Love you too Seth.  I really didn't think I was capable of this, but you make me want to give you more and more everyday.  I want to be worthy of the love and trust that I see in your eyes."

"Fuck!" Seth swore as he tried to move his hands towards him, making Dean giggle, tickling his chest.  "Laugh it up babe, just remember it will be you on this end next time!"

"Promise!" Dean raised his head as he looked up at him, lust once again spiraling in his eyes.

"You can count on it!  This would be easier if I could hold you, but D, you're already worthy of all of it, okay? I already told you that no one has ever cared about me the way you do.  Can we just agree that we're both deserving of the love we have for one another?" Seth asked.

Dean nodded up at him, laying another kiss on his chest as he smoothed across it, "Yeah, yeah I think we can do that!"

Seth pushed back up at him, moaning as Dean's lips latched on to one of his nipples, his teeth gently nipping at it before moving over to the other one.  He continued to lavish attention across Seth's pecs and then down to his belly button, his hands spreading out to move across his arms and down his legs.

With a grin, Dean moved to his side, gently rolling Seth onto his own side as he spread his legs, leaning down to nip at his butt cheeks before spreading them to rim him.

Seth moaned as Dean's lips tasted him, his tongue stabbing into him, but as he moved, his hands throbbed a bit as he strained against the cuffs, suddenly giving him a flash of another time and another flash of pain.

_"Did I tell you you could move sweetheart?" Patrick grinned down at him as he thrust inside of him, causing Seth to jump in pain at the lack of prep._

_"No, Patrick, I said no!" Seth tried to pull away from him, his eye throbbing as he moved against the pillow, but he couldn't move very far with Patrick's arms restraining his own._

_"Stop fighting me sweetheart!" Patrick gave another hard thrust into him.  "You know this is just what you need to feel better Seth.  Just stop fighting it and let me love you."_

_Giving in, Seth stopped his struggles, laying there and just letting him have his way, his tears staining the pillow below him as he told himself that this is what he deserved for coming home later than he'd told Patrick he would._

Seth whimpered as the memories assaulted him, making him pull harder against the cuffs holding him back. Behind him, Dean took his sounds as enjoyment, his tongue giving one more swipe across his walls before pulling out and turning Seth back onto his back.

As he looked down at him with a grin, Dean felt his blood turn cold as he quickly realized something was wrong, Seth was shaking and his eyes were closed and he was clearly struggling against the cuffs. 

Cursing himself for taking Seth's eyes away from him, Dean tried to figure out what to do, "Babe, Seth are you okay?"

Seth whimpered, still caught up in the past, "M'sorry, so sorry I'm late, can you just stop please?  Please stop!"

Recognizing the signs, Dean tried to figure out how to draw Seth out of the painful memories he was reliving.  He thought about releasing him from the cuffs, but he knew that touching him would just make things worse. 

Taking a deep breath, Dean lay himself down in the space next to him, making sure he wasn't actually touching him in anyway, but was right near his ear.  Gently, he leaned forward and began to whisper to him, hoping he could somehow reach him with his words, "Seth, baby, he's not here.  You're safe.  You're with me and I would never hurt you.  I may be a idiot sometimes, but I'm your idiot right?  Come back to me Princess.  You're safe baby, you're safe!  I love you so much Seth!"

Seth continued to shake as he tried to get away from the monster in his nightmares, but in the midst of the assault from his memories, he was suddenly hearing a voice, one that shouldn't be there, telling him he was safe and loved and Seth found himself trying to follow that voice; trying to reach out for the man who he knew would lavish him with gentle touches and intense kisses, the man who would never force himself on him. 

As if breaking through the water, Seth was suddenly wide-eyed and taking in breaths like a fish out of water as he gasped out Dean's name, making Dean jump next to him, quickly pulling him into his arms with a grin, "Baby, Seth I'm right here!  I'm right here."

For awhile, the only sound was their desperate breaths as they held onto one another for dear life, neither wanting to break their desperate connection.

Finally, Dean couldn't take it anymore, his voice brokenly offering an apology, "So sorry Princess!  This is all my fault.  I should have never let you do this and I should have never moved out of your sight.  I fucking asked you not to do that to me, but I didn't give you the same courtesy; I'm a fucking idiot!"

"No!  Dean, you didn't do anything wrong!  I didn't ask you not to move and I didn't ask you to stop.  Babe, I'm the one who is sorry, alright?  I ruined this because I can't fucking let go of what he did to me!" Seth insisted.

Dean threw his hand over his mouth as he rose above him, "Stop right there Princess!  You haven't ruined anything and if I didn't do anything wrong, then you definitely didn't!  That asshole left some pretty deep scars and we both should have expected this."

As Dean let him go, Seth nodded defeatedly, "Maybe, but it doesn't make me feel any better.  I don't want him to be apart of us in any way, but here we are!"

Shrugging, Dean leaned down to give him a chaste kiss, which Seth eagerly returned, "He's a cockroach who just needs to be stomped out.  We just need to figure out your triggers and stay away from them.  Now we know the cuffs aren't going to work." as he said it, Dean reached over to where he'd laid the key, determined to release him.

"No!" Seth shouted at him, making him freeze.  "I refuse to give into him, not anymore!  I told you I'm not going to let him take this away from me.  Please babe, can you make love to me?  Can you show me this doesn't have to hurt when we both want it?"

Dean's eyes rose at the statement, ready to ask about it until Seth pleaded with him again, "Later babe, I promise we'll talk about it later, but right now I need you, please D!"

Dean sighed as he looked at him, "Are you sure baby?  Give me a color!"

Seth sighed back, "Yes D, I need you!  Green babe, I want you!"

Giving in to his puppy dog look, Dean leaned down, making out with him again for a bit, trying to get them both back into the mood before grabbing the lube and coating his fingers, making sure Seth's eyes were locked onto his every step of the way.

Slowly, he moved down, his hand gripping Seth's cock and gently stroking him to full hardness before replacing it with his mouth as he worked one finger into Seth's ass, his eyes looking upwards making sure his boyfriend was still with him.

He shuddered at the sight that greeted him. Seth was straining against the cuffs, but his eyes were locked on Dean's as he licked his lips at him, giving him a wink as he moaned, "Damn D, you look so good like that.  The sight of you taking me in will never get old!" he gave another jump as Dean worked his way up to three fingers.

Finally drawing back, Dean moved back over him, "Ready for me baby?"

Seth nodded, grinning as Dean's hand moved up, his fingers lacing through Seth's own as the other one pushed his legs up and back, placing himself at his entrance, rubbing his tip back and forth before moving into him haltingly.

"Fuck!" Seth's head dropped back again, causing Dean to once again move down to nip at his throat, "You're doing great Princess. You're so good to me."

"Only giving you what you are so great at giving me," Seth answered back.  "Feels so good babe, so fucking good!"

With a wry grin, Dean pulled back and then set a ruthless pace as he drove Seth against the headboard, his boyfriend unable to move away from the overwhelming rush of sensation flooding him, Dean truly owning him in every way.

"Okay Princess, this is what you wanted, are you ready to come for me?" Dean asked as his hand moved to Seth's dick, stroking in time with his own movements into Seth's body.

"Yes D, I'm right there!  Let me come for you babe!" Seth pleaded.

Dean increased his movements, quickly bringing them both right to the edge and then leaning down, whispering in Seth's ear, "Now Princess!"

Seth moaned his name as his climax burst out of him, a pool spreading across Dean's stomach and hand.  Laughing joyously, Seth gave a squeeze around Dean's cock, "Give it to me babe!  Let me feel how you own me!"

The words set Dean off, his cum flooding Seth's insides as Dean continued to pump through his climax, Seth's body shaking the headboard on every move.

"Damn!" Dean dropped down to his chest, still shaking.  "I don't think I've ever come that hard baby!"

Making himself move, Dean rose up, grabbing for the key and quickly sliding the handcuffs off of Seth's wrists, bringing them down to him and gently rubbing them, making sure he had feeling in them and that he hadn't hurt them when he'd been pulling against them. 

Seeing some redness, Dean grabbed some lotion out of his drawer and gently coated them, not noticing the gentle smile that Seth was wearing the entire time.

It wasn't until he let Seth go, that Dean finally saw the look of awe he was giving him, "What Princess?" he asked, raising a eyebrow at him.

Seth just continued to grin at him, "You did it, you made me forget him.  You made me feel just as good as you promised."

Dean winked at him, "Of course I did.  When Dean Ambrose says he's going to do something, then he does!"

Seth giggled at him, "Sure babe, whatever you say!"

Dean tickled him, laughing as he squirmed away from him, "I'll teach you to disrespect me!"

Seth fought back, "I think you already did!"

Dean laughed, "Yeah, yeah I guess I did!  Did you really like it babe or are you just humoring me?"

Seth shook his head at him, pulling him down and back into his arms, Dean's head pressed to his chest as Seth ran his hand through his hair, "It was perfect babe.  I liked you being in control; liked knowing I could trust you to make me feel so damn good."

Dean grinned up at him, "I'm glad.  That's all I wanted.  Love you," he leaned up for a kiss.

Breaking apart, Seth kissed his cheek, "Love you too."

The pair cuddled up in silence for a bit, gently stroking any available skin they could reach.  Dean tried to let the mood last, but the suspense was killing him and he finally couldn't take it anymore, "Seth?"

"Hmm?" Seth murmured back.

Sitting up, Dean locked eyes with him, "What did he do to you?"

Seth's eyes closed in shame as he looked down, "I think you already know."

Dean reached out, raising his chin, "Baby, look at me."

As Seth's eyes rose to his, Dean continued, "I need you to say it.  Actually, I think you need to say it.  You need to tell someone babe or he's always going to have that hold over you!"

Taking a shuddering breath, Seth nodded, "You're right, but I've never said it out loud to anyone before."

"I know, but you know you can trust me with anything Princess.  I'm not going to look at you any differently or treat you any differently, alright?" Dean stated looking directly at him.

Seth closed his eyes again as he reached out for Dean's hands, squeezing them as he made himself say the words, "He forced himself on me.  He, he raped me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	42. Chapter 42

Dean nodded as he gently cupped his face, leaning forward for a slow, easy kiss, just letting Seth know that he was there and he wasn't going anywhere.

He gingerly gathered Seth in his arms and slid them both back down against the pillows, cuddling him as close as he could, not wanting there to be a second that they weren't connected.

As he pulled the sheets and comforter over them, he finally spoke, "I knew, but I hoped I was wrong.  That day at the party you made that comment about him not taking no for an answer and I wanted to rip his face off, but Roman held me back and I just made myself believe that it wasn't what I thought you meant.  I'm sorry baby, I guess I should have made you tell me then, but maybe there was a part of me that didn't want to know, I'm not sure.  I am so damn proud of you though for telling me now," Dean kissed his forehead as he gave him a squeeze.  "He has no hold over you anymore Princess, you win because you're so much stronger than he could ever be!"

"I don't feel very strong!  I let him get away with it D.  I let myself believe I deserved it, that he was owed it because we were together.  How pathetic is that?" Seth hissed.

"We already talked about this Princess!  He gave you everything you asked for before he pulled the rug out from under you.  He used your trust and your kindness and your love against you.  He wore you down and he isolated you.  None of that is your fault.  He's the monster and he'll end up getting what's coming to him!" Dean growled, his arms unconsciously tightening around Seth.

Seth jumped at his tone, wincing as he gripped Dean's bicep, begging, "No D, babe please don't go after him!  You promised me!"

Dean shuddered at the pain in his voice, "Fuck baby, how can I just sit back and let him get away with what he did to you?  He needs to pay!"

"Yes and that's my job.  I won't hesitate to call the cops on him if he comes near us again!  I just worry that he's going to go and hurt someone else because I was too much of a coward to press charges against him!" Seth shared feebly.

Dean shook his head, "If he does, that's on him, not you!  You made the best decision for yourself at the time."

Seth sighed as he relaxed back into Dean's chest, "Maybe, but what if he does try to hurt someone else?"

"We'll do our best to make sure that doesn't happen, alright?" Dean stated.

Seth leaned back, smiling shyly down at him, "We?"

"Yes, we!" Dean gave him a squeeze.  "We're in this together Seth."

"God, I love you so much Dean!  I don't think I even know how to live without you anymore," Seth's tears fell down onto Dean's chest.

"It's the same for me baby.  I'm stupidly in love with you at this point," Dean drew him down for a kiss, their tears intermingling between them.  They both drew away with a laugh as they heard a chorus of barks from downstairs.  "Guess our boys are getting restless again and looking at the clock, we're going to need to pack up and hit the road if we want to make our flight.  I'd be fine with staying right here, but you need to be at work tomorrow."

"Yeah," Seth sighed, reluctantly moving back off of him.  "Can we hit the shower first?"

Dean grinned stupidly at him, "Is that a real question?"

Seth rolled his eyes at him as he reached out his hand, dragging him along beside him.

...

It didn't take Dean long to grab the few things he wanted to bring along with him and while he was doing that, Seth went to work packing up what Dean told him he would need for Blue, both dogs trailing him through the house, desperately trying to capture his attention.

Laughing at them both, Seth finally opened the back door and let them out back so they could run off some energy before they'd have to be caged for the trip.

Finishing what he needed to do, he wandered outside, chasing them around for a bit as he enjoyed the afternoon sun.  Closing his eyes for a minute, he rolled his neck, not even jumping when hands were suddenly moving his hair up as they began to knead his shoulders.  Tipping his head back to look at his boyfriend, he shot him a smile, "Hi there, do you always come up on men standing in your yard like this?"

Dean winked at him, "Well hello there.  I only put my hands on the cute ones!"

Seth snorted in that adorably dorky way that had captured Dean's heart, making him smile back at him.  Stepping away from his boyfriend, Dean pulled out the dog leashes and corralled the pair as he picked up Kevin and let Seth pick up Blue, carrying them out to the car.

Heading back inside, they grabbed their luggage and Dean locked up, smirking at Seth's overjoyed expression as he dropped a set of spare keys in his hands, "What's mine is yours now Princess.  No turning back!"

Seth laughed, reaching up to move Dean's curls away from his eyes, "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "Most would probably see it that way!"

"Yeah, well I'm not most people!" Seth answered decisively, grabbing Dean's hand as they walked to the car.

Dean's voice grew serious as he stated, "That's for damn sure and that's what I love about you!"

Seth entered the car with a goofy grin as Dean slid into the driver's seat beside him, immediately grabbing for his hand again.  Seth giggled as he thought about how nervous he'd been before their first date.  He had known he was already head over heels for Dean and that he was in trouble, but he could have never imagined what was truly in store for him.

Dean looked at him in wonder as he continued to laugh beside him, "Sun getting to you Princess?" he smirked at him.

Seth poked him, "Nah, just thinking about our first date.  I can't believe how quickly we moved from here to there.  Who would have thought that this could actually work out?"

"Me," Dean said absolutely serious.  "I knew we were meant to be the second you bounced out of that car and gave me that striptease!"

Seth rolled his eyes at him, "My tie and jacket don't exactly constitute teasing babe.  I didn't even show any skin!"

Dean cocked his head at him, "Does that mean you owe me a proper one?"

Seth laughed, "Really babe?"

Dean just smirked at him as he started the car and took off, humming to himself as he mumbled under his breath, "Yeah, you're gonna look so good!"

...

Before they knew it, they were back at the airport in Iowa and in Seth's car headed home, Dean immediately grabbing the keys and sliding into the driver's seat as he patted the dashboard, "Hi baby, daddy's home!"

Seth looked at him in disbelief, "Really?"

Dean shrugged, "I formed a strong bond with this car, she's been missed."

"She?" Seth couldn't resist asking.

Dean nodded, "Of course, how do you not know your car's gender?"

Seth laughed as he leaned his head over, snuggling against his arm as he laced Dean's free hand with his own.  He jumped as the dogs suddenly scrambled over the seats, trying to get to the window Seth had cracked.

"I'm not a piece of the car boys!" he shook his head as he sat up, pulling them both down to his lap and opening the window more so they could both enjoy the breeze, the pair eyeing one another disdainfully.

Dean cocked an eyebrow at them, "Our brats are going to need to learn how to share," he shared as he blew a bubble with the gum he'd popped in on the flight.

Seth raised one right back, "You going to do the teaching?"

Dean winked at him, "Damn straight!"

They both sighed happily as the car pulled into the driveway.  Seth was glad to be home and to have Dean with him and Dean was overwhelmed with the feeling of rightness welling up inside of him.

Dean grinned as he watched Kevin run up the stairs, Blue chasing after him.  Reaching out, he pulled Seth to him as they carried along part of their luggage, Seth setting his down to unlock the door.

Their eyes were both glued to Blue to see his reaction to the place so neither even noticed anything was wrong until Kevin started barking frantically.

Confused, Seth's eyes moved towards the sound, finding his dog jumping around near his now smashed in coffee table.  Dread overcoming him, he stepped over towards it, looking down to find the vase of red roses that Dean had had delivered to him earlier in the week, a simple sign showing that he was thinking of him while they were apart.

Shaking, Seth could clearly see the note that had been crudely attached to the side of the broken vase, the flowers ripped apart around it.

**_You've messed with me for the last time sweetheart...I warned you that you would pay, now you will!  Oh and for the record, this wasn't my only key!  I'll be seeing you real soon!_ **

Seth moaned as he saw a replica of his house key laying alongside the vase.  Stunned, he turned towards Dean, who had come up behind him and whose face had turned red, his body trembling as he tried to control his rage.

His voice was clipped as he reached out, settling his hands on the side of Seth's face, "He's made a terrible mistake Princess!  This is NEVER going to happen again!"

Looking back and forth between the damage and Dean's face, Seth had no words, a feeling of total helplessness settling in his stomach.


	43. Chapter 43

"I've got this babe!" Seth gave Dean's shoulder a squeeze, hoping to calm his rage a bit.  Making sure his eyes were on him, Seth grabbed his phone from his pocket and dialed the police, Dean watching him intently as he reported the break in.

The second he hung up the phone, Dean was talking again, "He's going to learn that he can never come near you again!" Dean was trying to be reassuring, but all he was doing was terrifying him.

Shaking his head, Seth moved forward, once again gripping Dean's shoulder, "No!  The last thing I want or need is you going half-cocked after him D!  His dad will have you in jail so fast your head will spin!  We need to go through the system and make sure that we do everything by the book so there can be no way for him to slither out of it."

Dean's face quickly betrayed what he thought of that idea, "Talking and warnings haven't gotten us anywhere baby!  The only thing that is going to get through this asshole's head is action and Roman and I are certainly up for that job!" he wrung his hands as he pulled away from him and began to pace, coming up with a plan on the spot.  "I bet your friends would be more than happy to get in on the action!"

"Fuck!" Seth tilted his head back as he shouted, his voice echoing through the house and making the dogs bark back at him.  "I can't, I can't deal with this right now!"

His anguish finally getting through to Dean, Dean decided to table his revenge scheme for now and concentrate on taking care of his boyfriend, moving forward and drawing Seth to him, stroking his hair as he whispered to him, "Sorry baby, we'll figure this all out, alright?  When the cops get here, we'll make sure they have as much info as we can give them and then I'm going to go to the closest hardware store and find some dead bolts for your doors until tomorrow when I can get a locksmith in here and get all of the locks changed.  Then we are going to find the best security company in the area and get this place outfitted with the best they have to offer."

Seth sniffled as he nodded against him, "Alright."

They both jumped at the loud knocks at the door, creating another chorus of barks.  Sighing, Seth pulled away and went to let the cops in.  He told them everything he could about his relationship with Patrick and admitted that he hadn't pressed charges at the time because of pressure from their families and his workplace.

Noticing the one major hole in his statement, Dean drew him aside for a moment, "Baby, you need to tell them what he is truly capable of!"

Seth shook his head, trembling, "No!  That's not going to make a difference now at this point.  They can't charge him for anything he did in the past."

Dean winced at his tone, but plowed forward, "It doesn't matter.  It all needs to be on record so that they understand just who it is they are dealing with.  Princess, you've been so damn brave up until this point and I am in awe of you, but this is the last step, the last hold he has on you.  Can you summon that courage one more time for me?"

Seth melted against him in defeat, Dean taking his weight effortlessly as he pulled him in for a tight hug, nuzzling against his head, "I love you so damn much Seth and I'm so tired of seeing you hurt by this pig.  Show him, baby, show him that you are the strong one!"

With a sigh, Seth nodded reluctantly, moving back, but gripping tightly to Dean's hand as they walked back over to the officers, "There's one more thing you should add in.  Patrick, he wasn't just a abuser, he also sexually assaulted me more than once.  He didn't feel no was a option since we were in a relationship." Seth stated determinedly, the only thing betraying his emotions was the trembling throughout his body, Dean stroking his arm soothingly.

After thanking the officers for their time and seeing them out, Dean picked Seth up in his arms, cradling him against him as he carried him to the couch and laid him down, "You stay right there!" he pointed at him with a stern look.

Seth grinned in spite of himself, "Aye aye captain!" he saluted him teasingly.

Resting his head back against the cushions, Seth closed his eyes, letting the silence wash over him for a minute as he tried to get his swirling thoughts under control. He giggled as he felt the cushions moving around him and then the weight of two dogs settling in on either side of him, almost as if they'd silently agreed on it.

Opening his eyes, he looked down at them, laughing again at their earnest expressions as they peered back at him, "Dean, did you put them up to this?"

"Huh?" Dean came back out of the kitchen balancing two plates of sandwiches and chips and two glasses, one with water for Seth and one with pop for him.  Looking over and seeing the dogs, he gave his own chuckle, "Nope, that's all them, guess they worked out guard duty amongst themselves!"

Hitting the couch, he gestured at the pair, "Down for now boys, you can come back when we're done eating."

Seth sat up as they moved, grinning as Dean handed him a plate and glass, "That's a pretty big sandwich."

Dean shrugged, "Figured we should eat some type of dinner before we head to bed, but didn't really feel like taking the time to cook or order anything."

Seth smiled over at him, "This is perfect," he took a bite, struggling to get all of the lunch meat piled on it into his mouth.  "Damn, t'is good." he mumbled.

Dean lit up, happy to be taking care of him, "Thanks Princess!"

They ate in silence and then Dean grabbed up their dishes despite Seth's protests that he should be the one to clean up, "I told you to sit right there and that's where you are going to stay!"

Seth bit up at the finger he was pointing at him, "And what happens if I don't?" he asked suggestively.

Dean smirked at him, "Not what you're thinking!  Maybe I'll make you sleep on the couch."

Seth threw him the finger, "Yeah, we'll see about that," Seth smirked up at him.

Dean grinned back at him as he walked away, "Now that sounds promising!"

Seth leaned back into the couch again as he disappeared, feeling a warm, contented feeling in his stomach at how at ease they could be with one another even when everything was going to hell.  Their easy banter was one of the things he loved best about his relationship with Dean.

Opening his eyes, Seth smiled as he saw how both dogs had moved over to the couch again, both looking at him pleadingly over the edge of the cushions, "Come on you little monsters!" Seth patted the couch as both piled back up on top of him, this time snuggling up under both of his arms. 

A little while later, Dean headed back into the living room to find his boyfriend passed out on the couch, a dog tightly gripped under each arm snoring alongside of him.

Smiling goofily, Dean grabbed the throw on the back of the couch and threw it over them.  Turning, he went in search of a broom and dustpan, determined to have the table mess cleaned up by the time his boyfriend woke. 

As he picked up what was left of the flowers he'd sent Seth, he made a note to replace them as quickly as possible and decided a trip to the furniture store the next day to replace the table would also be on his agenda.

...

About a hour and a half later, Seth made a attempt to roll over and found himself pinned in by the dogs.  Groaning, he opened his eyes only to find Dean sitting on the floor against the couch as he watched some comedy on the television, snorting at the dumb jokes.

Grinning, Seth reached out and stroked his hair, Dean leaning back into him with a grin of his own as he looked backwards up at him, "Hey, good nap?"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, until I tried to roll over and ran into the brats."

Dean laughed, sitting up and leaning in for a kiss, "Hey, at least they're doing something together right?"

Seth stole another kiss before responding, "Guess I can't argue with that.  What the hell are you watching?" he asked, turning his nose up at the god awful jokes.

Dean shrugged, "No clue, some family comedy hour or something.  I had the game on, but after it ended I couldn't find anything else.  Do you actually pay for this crap?"

Seth laughed, "Yeah, totally not worth the price they charge me, but I like having the games and the fitness channel.  Wait, do you not have cable?  I just realized we never even turned on your tv."

Dean shook his head, "Nope, I'm never home anyways so why bother.  I've got Netflix and Amazon; that's enough.  I usually wind up at Ro's when we're off and there's a big game or fight we want to see."

Seth stretched as he gently worked himself out from under the dogs, "Yeah, definitely not worth it when you're not using it."

As Dean looked up at him, he seemed to be mulling something over.  Curious, Seth tilted his head at him, "What's up?"

"Just thinking that we never really talked about this," Dean gestured between them, just making Seth more confused.  "I mean us moving in together.  I want to like, you know, split the bills and groceries and stuff.  I don't even know what that entails," he tried to explain.

"Oh," Seth blinked at him.  "I guess I never even really thought about it, but we can sit down and I can go through it all with you, maybe tomorrow?"

Happy, Dean nodded, "Sounds like a plan, but for now, I think we better take these guys out for their walk and get to bed so you can be well rested for work."

Seth shook his head, "Bath first," he stuck his bottom lip out pleadingly as he peered at Dean.

Dean laughed, "You got it Princess!" he held his hand out to him, helping him to his feet and helping himself to a quick kiss, just a simple brushing of their lips before moving to grab the dog leashes and their light jackets.

While he was doing that, Seth roused the animals from their slumber, laughing as they immediately jumped down to his ankles when he mentioned a walk.

Dean attached the leashes and they set out, holding hands as they each held on to the other one's dog.  They were both happy to see that this time, the pair seemed to have gotten used to the other's presence beside them, doing their business and trotting along with no incidents.

Back inside, Seth fed the dogs and Dean locked up.  It wasn't until Seth came up behind him that he realized that somehow Dean had installed a deadbolt, "D, when did you have time to do that?"

Dean shrugged, "While you were napping and after I cleaned up, I ran to the hardware store over near the golf course," he seemed to be thinking about something before continuing on.  "Your neighbor was outside when I took the glass to the trash.  I kind of introduced myself and he may have asked about the cops being here.  I then may have asked him to keep an eye on the house while I was gone?" he said sheepishly.

Seth smirked, but held back from saying anything.

Dean shrugged, "It didn't take much work to put the lock on.  There's one on the back door too and I had keys made for us both and a spare."

Looking over to look at where he'd cleaned up the table and then looking at the lock, Seth threw his arms around him, "I love you!"

Dean laughed, "That's what does it for you, huh?"

Seth poked him, "Shut up, I'm being serious here!  I've never had anyone take care of me like this."

Leaning his forehead against his, Dean responded, "Get used to it Princess.  Anything you need me to do I will and for the record, I love you too and how you take care of me.  Now how about that bath?" he moved his arms underneath him, pulling him up.

Seth's legs clasped around his waist as he let Dean carry him upstairs, their laughter echoing down the stairs.

 

 


	44. Chapter 44

Dean had figured that Seth might have some trouble sleeping, but after their bath, he'd passed right out. 

For awhile, Dean lay awake just watching his boyfriend in his arms, happy that he seemed to be sleeping comfortably and safely, any thoughts of his ex, the assaults and the break-in seemingly banished for the moment.

As Dean's hand ran lovingly through Seth's hair and along his face, he tried to contemplate how anyone could have ever purposely hurt him and not just hurt him, but violated him in the worst way possible.  It was incomprehensible to him that something so evil could have been inflicted on such a caring, warmhearted person. 

It made him sick just thinking about it and the more it swirled through his head, the angrier he got.  He knew that Seth didn't want him taking any type of action on his own, but it was taking everything in him not to drive over to Patrick's place and murder him with his own bare hands.

Unable to put his thoughts to rest, Dean slid out of bed, wrapping Seth's arms around his pillow so he wouldn't realize his absence.  Grabbing his phone, he headed downstairs as he dialed the number of the only person he knew would always be there to listen.

He sighed gratefully as Roman immediately picked up.

_"D, what's up?  Can't sleep?"_

_"Got a lot on my mind and I kind of need you to help me clear it before I do something stupid, Uce."_

Dean could hear some slight murmuring, which he assumed was Roman's wife and then he heard some shuffling as Roman crept out of his bedroom and headed downstairs.

_"Okay Uce, lay it on me!"_

_"Fuck Ro, things were a lot worse than we even imagined..."_

...

Talking to Roman had helped Dean clear things up a bit and helped calm him down enough to slide back into bed and get some sleep, Seth immediately settled back into his arms.

Although Roman had been almost as furious as Dean was, he'd encouraged Dean to keep his distance away from the asshole for now.  He'd reminded Dean that the most important thing right now was Seth's mental state and that he needed to feel secure and safe.  Although Dean was still seething, he knew his friend was right, at least for now.

It seemed like he'd just shut his eyes when Seth's alarm was going off, making them both roll over with whines, Seth shutting it off with a sigh.

"At least it's Friday," Seth stated, not sounding in the least bit satisfied.

Dean nodded, "True, just a few hours and we can be back right here. We don't even have to leave this bed the rest of the weekend if you don't want to."

Seth grinned, "That sounds like a definite plan.  Ugh, I don't want to," he threw his arms out dramatically as if ready to throw a tantrum, making Dean giggle.

"Get up and go do what you need to do Princess and maybe you'll get a special reward for your hard work!" Dean promised conspiratorially.

Seth sat up, looking closely at him, "Like what?"

Dean shrugged, "I guess you'll have to wait and see!"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, but did make himself get up and stumble to the bathroom, grinning as Dean immediately got up to follow, pushing him along into the shower.

They seamlessly ran through what had become their normal morning routine, Dean just throwing together some cereal and toast for them before feeding the dogs and letting them out for a quick walk while Seth packed his briefcase.  They sat down to eat together as Dean told him he'd drop him off so he could get some stuff done.

It wasn't until they were in the car and headed to the office that Dean voiced his thoughts, "Princess," he reached across the seat for his hand.  "I know you're going to hate the idea, but I think you need to tell your boss what's going on.  Patrick has already approached you a couple of times there and there's no telling what he might try if he gets a chance.  They need to know what's going on and they need to provide you with a secure working environment.  I don't care if his father works there or not!"

Seth winced at the idea, but he knew that Dean was only saying it out of concern and he knew that as much as he needed to make sure Dean was safe that Dean needed to do the same for him, "Alright, I'll talk to him.  I'm not looking to have another run-in with Patrick either."

Dean's face softened as he drew Seth's hand up so he could kiss his knuckles, "Thank you baby!  I also think you need to let your friends know so you guys can increase security at the gym.  Umm, you should also know that I talked to Roman last night.  I was kind of wired and I needed him to talk me down before I did what you asked me not to."

Seth frowned as he looked at him, "D, please don't go after him!  It will only make things worse."

Dean nodded, "I'm trying really hard to do this your way Princess, but it's not easy.  As long as he stays away from you, I'll stay away from him."

Seth winced, but figured that was the best he could expect to get.  As Dean pulled up in front of his office, Seth leaned over for a kiss, "I promise that I'll stay safe, alright?  I'll see you back here at 5.  Love you D."

"Love you too.  Remember, get through your day and you'll get your surprise!" Dean teased.

Seth pouted at him, reaching over for another quick kiss before exiting and disappearing up the stairs.

Dean hung around for a few extra minutes, looking around the area to make sure that Patrick wasn't lurking around somewhere.  Satisfied for the moment, Dean grabbed his phone and called the number he'd found for a locksmith in the area, setting up a appointment for later in the day and then calling the security company he'd found and doing the same. 

Grinning, he then called up the local florist and put in a order for a dozen white roses to be sent to Seth's office and a dozen of mixed pink and red ones to come to the house.  After dictating a message for both bouquets, Dean then drove to the local grocery store, picking up some things for the special dinner he was planning.

He headed back home and unpacked before heading back out to the dog's disappointment.  Promising them that he'd be back to take them to the park, Dean hopped in the car and headed to the nearest furniture store, determined to have Seth's table replaced by the time he got home.

After a mind-numbing 45 minutes of being shown table after table, he finally found one similar to the one Seth had lost.  Thankful that the boring task was over, Dean popped down the money and got it loaded in the back of the car before making one last phone call and one last stop before he headed back to the house.

With some time to spare, he took the dogs out for a walk and then let them loose to play in the yard while he got things set up outside, grinning to himself as he worked.  He wanted the evening to be a welcome distraction for his boyfriend. 

By the time he finished, the locksmith had arrived and not long after the flowers were delivered and he was just waiting on the security alarm installers.

As he sat down for the first time all day, he absentmindedly checked his phone and found that Roman had sent him a message with a link to the article including his and Seth's statement as well as Renee's retraction.  With a grin, he took in the full page photo of him and Seth kissing at the house show. 

He was sure that Hunter was responsible for it, but looking at how happy and in love they looked, he couldn't argue with his logic.  It certainly backed up every word they had said.

...

Seth made it upstairs and dropped off his stuff in his office and checked in with the secretary before taking a deep breath and approaching his boss' office.  Knocking gently, he was surprised when Mr. Meyers ushered him right in, "Seth, my boy, I take it you had a nice trip!"

Seth looked at him quizzically, "I did, but how would you know?"

Seth was surprised when his boss turned his computer around and showed him the article that had run that morning.  Seth blushed as he saw the accompanying photo of his kiss with Dean after his match.

He quickly skimmed the article, pleased that they'd included both his and Dean's full quotes and that Renee's retraction was there as well.  At least one thing had gone right finally.

Looking back at his boss, he asked, "I take it you are happy with it?"

Mr. Meyers nodded, "Tasteful and to the point, but forcefully honest as well.  I think it's going to get a positive response and that's all I ask for.  I want you to know that I have absolutely nothing against your lifestyle or who you choose to spend it with.  This was strictly about the bad publicity that was swirling around.  And, for the record, I'm sorry that I didn't believe you when you said that Patrick was the one behind it.  Clearly your breakup has pushed him over the edge."

Seeing his opportunity, Seth reluctantly began to explain more details about their breakup and about the break-in.  He planned to leave it at that, but Dean's voice began to speak up in his head, telling him that he needed to be up front about it all. 

With a sigh, Seth went on to tell him that Patrick had been both physically and mentally abusive and that the physical abuse had passed the line into sexual assault.  Seth was actually surprised how much easier the words came out of him.  Maybe Dean was right that he'd needed to get it out in order to truly move on after all.

To Seth's surprise, his boss seemed to believe him, genuinely concerned about his continued safety and promising a tighter lockdown on who could and couldn't wander the building.

Feeling better about the situation in general, Seth headed back to his office where he was greeted by another bouquet of roses that had just been delivered.  With a soft smile, Seth carried the white bouquet to his desk and then pulled out the card.

_Here's hoping you feel a sense of peace and calm every time you look at these.  Love you Princess!_

He really did have the best boyfriend ever!

...

Looking around the back yard critically, Dean tried to figure out what he was missing.  He wanted everything to be absolutely perfect.  Looking at the time, he knew that he'd have to leave soon to pick up Seth. 

As if reading his mind, a knock rang out at the door.  The main part of his plan was finally here!

After getting the rest of his surprise set up, Dean grabbed the dogs to come along for the ride and headed to Seth's office, grinning as his glowing boyfriend bounced down the stairs and to his car.

"Hey baby, you look pretty happy for someone who has been at work all day!" he teased as Seth slid into the car.

Seth just grinned back at him, "Yeah, well it's easy to be happy when I have a amazing boyfriend who sends me flowers at work," Seth reached back to pet the dogs who were back to glaring at the other one.

Leaning over for a kiss, Dean then laced his fingers through his as he looked over his shoulder to pull out, "Good day then?"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, I had that talk with my boss and it actually went pretty well.  He believed what I had to say and he promised to step up security.  He was pretty happy with the article."

Dean squeezed his hand, "Yeah, Ro sent me the link.  I think it came out pretty well and Hunter capturing our kiss was pretty brilliant.  I think I have my new favorite picture!"

Seth blushed, but agreed, "Me too."

Dean held his breath as they pulled into the drive, "Your surprise is ready baby so don't take long changing."

Seth's eyes grew wide, having forgotten about Dean's promise.

Heading inside, Dean asked Seth for his keyring, taking off the pair of keys for the old locks and adding on the new ones.

Seth's eyes widened, "You got them changed already?" 

"Yep and we now have the best security system in the neighborhood," he smoothly disarmed the alarm as they stepped inside.

Turning to Seth, he threw him a grin, "Code is the date we met."

Seth giggled, "Now that I'll be able to remember!" turning around he gave a happy squeal as he noticed the new table.  "You found one almost identical!"

Sliding forward, he stepped into Dean's arms for a hug, "Thank you!  You take such good care of me."

Dean kissed the top of his head, "The same way you do me.  Now go change!" Dean gave him a little shove.

Dogs following along, Dean headed outside to wait for him.

...

Stepping into the bedroom, Seth grabbed some jeans and a tshirt to change into, heading into the bathroom. 

As he stepped inside, his eyes were immediately drawn to the vase of red and pink roses sitting on the side of the bath tub.

Snorting, Seth grabbed up the card on prominent display.

_Sorry that you didn't get to enjoy the other ones for long, but here's some replacements.  Tonight is about forgetting everything else and just concentrating on us.  We haven't had a chance to really celebrate me moving in so come join me outside..._

Seth eagerly changed and then headed back downstairs, taking the flowers with him.

His pulse raced in anticipation as he opened his screen door and found Dean on his back porch waiting with a yellow rose in hand.

Striding forward, he bumped Seth's nose with it as he said, "Welcome to Italy!" as he gestured behind him.

Speechless, Seth took in the sight of a fully decked out table with Italian decor and a plethora of mouthwatering dishes that clearly came from Marco's and a bottle of chilled champagne was resting in the center of the table.

Around the porch white lights had been hung and were twinkling and the jacuzzi was fired up and ready to go, steam rising around the candles set up around it.  

Light Italian music was filtering through his speakers, setting the mood.

With a soft grin, Seth moved forward and placed his vase of flowers on the table as a centerpiece.

Turning to Dean, he asked, "How the hell did you pull all of this off?"

Dean winked at him, "I have my ways and a certain restaurant owner may have been happy to help."

Seth continued to gape around in awe, "This is the most romantic moment of my life, you know that right?" 

Dean blushed as he shyly answered, "I tried.  I wanted to show you how much I love you and how happy I am to be able to be here with you.  You've given me things I never thought I'd ever have or deserve."

Seth hurried to his side, grasping Dean's face in his hands as he drew his eyes to his, "You deserve it all and more babe!  You are everything to me."

As they read the absolute devotion in the other's eyes, they moved forward, locking up in a passionate kiss that they poured all of their emotions into.

Foreheads resting against one another, Seth broke the silence, "Let's eat!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	45. Chapter 45

Seth was absolutely blown away by Dean's gesture and he couldn't help but continue to gaze around in astonishment as the pair sat down to eat.  This was stuff you saw in movies, not something you experienced in real life, or at least not in his anyways.

The fact that Dean had gone to all of this trouble just to show his love and to give them a night to enjoy the fact that they had officially moved in together was something that Seth would never forget. 

The sentiment behind his actions was almost overwhelming; knowing that he meant so much to Dean and knowing that Dean relied on him was a bit scary, but he was determined to be deserving of his love.  He would make sure that Dean knew everyday how much he was loved and how much Seth appreciated him.

Starting off with the soup and salad, the pair slowly made their way through the spaghetti/lasagna dinner, ending with the delicious ricotta cheesecake, Seth giggling as Dean pulled him over into his lap as they shared bites back and forth.

Taking a page from Dean's book, Seth stood up and offered him his hand, Dean smirking up at him, but letting him pull him up and into his arms for a dance, the pair chuckling as Seth's attempts to lead had Dean tripping over his feet.

Getting it together, Dean leaned into Seth's shoulder, letting him take them where he wanted to go and just enjoying the intimacy of the moment.

Of course, the moment was broken as the dogs, who had been surprisingly patient up until that point, began to bark out in the yard, letting them know they were ready for their nightly walk and getting hungry. 

Laughing, Dean grabbed a few table scraps and threw them over to them as they came racing after his call, "How about you take them on their walk and I'll clean up here real quick so when you get back we can enjoy the hot tub," Dean suggested.

Nodding, Seth headed inside to grab their leashes before coming back out to round them up and setting off.

Dean quickly cleared their plates and put away the leftovers.  After loading the dishwasher, Dean filled the dog's bowls and changed their water.

He grinned as he heard Seth come back, the dogs bounding inside as they smelled their food.

Walking right into Dean's arms, they watched them chowing down as Dean asked, "They give you any trouble?"

"Kev dared to walk in Blue's path at one point, they almost took my arms off trying to go at each other.  There was some growling, but I think I properly chastised them," Seth shared.

Dean laughed, "Aww, sounds stressful, I think you need to work that off," with his words Dean picked him up, swinging him over his shoulder.

Slapping Dean's ass playfully, Seth yelled for him to put him down.  

Dean ignored him, carrying him back outside and setting him next to the jacuzzi.  

Smirking at him, Dean waved his hands at him, "Lose the clothes baby...time for that striptease you owe me!"

Seth glared at him, "Really D?"

Dean just clapped his hands in answer.

Seth reached out and poked him, "I guess you earned it with this dinner!" as he spoke, he teasingly ran his hand to the button on his jeans, a blush staining his cheeks.

With a lustful grin, Dean grabbed a chair and settled into it to watch the show, making Seth laugh.

Putting a little shake into his movements, Seth drew his shirt up and over his head, throwing it at Dean, who caught it and pretended to be overcome by the gift, earning him a smirk from Seth, whose hands were now rubbing up his own chest, stopping to move over his nipples, making Dean's eyes widen and his breath to quicken.

Although a little unsure of the whole act, Seth found himself beginning to get into it, caught up in Dean's lustful eyeing and the fact that Dean's hands were already moving to his own lap, giving his awakening cock a quick stroke.

Seth drew his hand down the center of his chest to the top of his jeans, slowly popping the button and inserting a finger to pull his zipper down.  Turning around, he slowly drew them down, letting Dean get a view of his tight, pert butt before stepping out of them.

"Oh yeah, show me that ass baby!" Dean interjected.  "I remember looking at that thing that night as you leaned into your car, pulling that tie off like it was strangling you!  Part of me wanted to take that ass right there.  Just move up behind you and push you into that car," Dean drawled.

"Fuck!" Seth moaned, just picturing the scene.  "I would have let you do it too, just let you take me right there in that backseat where anyone could have walked up and seen us."

Dean gasped, "We probably wouldn't have even been able to fit in there, probably would have had to leave the door open, me pounding that ass half in and out of the car," Dean's hand had popped the button on his own jeans, his palm moving across his underwear, making his member jump.

Turning back around, Seth's eyes met his again as he drew his underwear off and tossed them to the side, his dick bouncing as he moved, pointing straight at Dean, precum already pooling at the tip as Dean eyed him hungrily.

With a evil grin, Dean stood up, kicking the chair away from him as he quickly tore off his own clothes advancing on Seth as he did, whose eyes were glued to his, his breathing heavy as Dean walked right up into his space, "Probably would have missed my match because the second I touched you, I wouldn't have been able to think of anything else!"

Moaning again, Seth grunted out, "Would have forgotten all about my friends.  The only thing I would have been able to think about would have been how perfectly you filled me up," surging forward, Seth kissed him with a hunger that he'd never felt for anyone else.  Dean took him to places and heights that he'd never imagined was even possible.

"Mmm," Dean kissed back with equal passion. Drawing back, he gasped, "The same way you complete me every time you take me."

Dazed, Seth leaned his forehead against his, "God, I love you so much!  I can't even remember what it felt like without you."

"You won't have to," Dean said leaning down to nuzzle against his throat, his tongue darting out to lick it's way down to his chest and over his taut nipples, drawing more sweet gasps from Seth.  "I think I'm finally beginning to trust in the fact that this is going to last.  We're meant to be Princess and I am one-hundred percent, completely in love with you!"

With his words, Dean swung Seth back up into his arms, carrying him over to the jacuzzi steps and down into the water.  Sitting down, he settled Seth across his lap as Seth looked at him adoringly, whispering, "You told me that you thought I was made for you, well I feel the same way about you D!  This feels so right and we fit together so perfectly, I think I finally believe this isn't going anywhere.  This is it for both of us."

Leaning up for a gentle kiss, Dean let his hands settle along the sides of his head, "I'm not asking yet, not now when so much is still uncertain, but I just want you to know that I'm in this for the long haul.  One day, hopefully sooner rather than later, I'm going to marry you.  We're going to do all that lovey-dovey domesticated shit that I tease Roman about."

Seth's eyes widened in shock, Dean taking him by surprise with his words, "I, I, fuck D, you always do this to me!  You say things that I want deep down inside here, that I stress and analyze over.  You just blurt them out matter-of-factly, like it's nothing!" he hit his chest as he spoke.

Dean grinned at him, "Does that mean that you'll say yes when I ask?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Seth wound himself further around him, "I will always say yes when it comes to you, just so you know.  I want that for us babe, I want it all."

Dean nodded, "Done," he said simply, leaning in for another kiss as his hands began to explore the body laid out above him.  "Speaking of saying yes, I want to fuck you Princess, can I have this?" he squeezed his ass.

"All day, everyday babe," Seth ground down against him, making them both moan in appreciation.

Holding him above him, showing off his impressive strength, Dean settled Seth right over his dick, letting him sink himself slowly down, taking him in at his own pace.  They both sighed as he bottomed out, Seth resting back in his arms.

For a moment, they just lay there holding one another, soaking in their connection before Seth drew back with a grin and pulled himself up before sinking back down slowly, Dean holding himself back from yanking him back down.

Eyes connecting, they wordlessly started a push and pull rhythm, both content to enjoy their connection for as long as possible, the slow thrusts amping them both up until they hit the edge, grabbing tightly to one another as their thrusts spread up, Dean's hand grabbing on to Seth's cock and helping him catch up to him.

Leaning forward, he gasped into his ear, "Let go Princess, come for me!"

As his tongue licked his ear lobe, Seth did just that, his climax hitting him like a bolt of lightening, his entire body shuddering against Dean's.  As Seth came back to himself, Dean was running kisses across his face as he whispered at him, "So good Princess, so fucking hot, every damn inch of you!"

With a grin, Seth tightened his thighs around him, Dean laughing at him, "Back with me baby?"

Seth nodded, "Give it to me babe!"

In answer, Dean shoved up, turning them around so that Seth was laid out across the hot tub as he began to drive into him furiously, tipping himself over the edge quickly as he shouted his name and spilled inside of him.

"Damn!" Dean slid out of him and slumped beside him.

"Yeah," Seth's voice was wiped as he slid himself over to Dean, resting against his chest as Dean's arm drew around him.

"As much as I'd like to stay here, we should probably move before we pass out or fall asleep in this steam," Dean mumbled.

Seth nodded, "Just give me a minute."

Breathing regulated a little while later, the pair stepped out, steadying one another woozily before grabbing their clothes.  Dean stopped to turn off the lights he'd strung up out there before heading through the house locking up.  He armed the security system and made sure all of the locks were in place.

Seth laughed as both dogs followed them upstairs.  Although they'd set up Blue's bed in his room alongside Kevin's, neither dog had used them yet, spending the previous evening wandering downstairs until they found spots away from one another to lay in wait for their owners to wake up.

By the time he and Dean brushed their teeth and threw on some sweatpants, the dogs had found their way to the end of the bed, both staring pleadingly at them.

Giggling, Seth shared, "Well, as much as I want to yell at the brats right now, I'm impressed that they're sharing the same space without freaking out."

Dean grinned, "Maybe that discipline of yours did help after all."

Shrugging, Seth slid into bed, Dean sliding in next to him and immediately pulling him in to cuddle as he pointed down at their boys, "You two, lay down and be quiet or we will make you leave, now!"

Whining at his tone, the pair threw themselves down, curling up at their respective owner's feet.  They lay there in silence for a bit until Seth broke it, "Feels right, doesn't it?  All of us together."

"It does," Dean confirmed.  "Our family." he lay a kiss on his cheek. 

"Yeah," Seth smiled in the dark, bringing his hand to Dean's cheek as he drew him in for a gentle kiss, before snuggling down and drifting off, truly secure for what seemed like the first time in his life.

Watching over him for awhile, taking in their dog's snores, Dean made a silent promise to himself that he would never allow fear to enter his boyfriend's eyes again.  This right here was his life and he'd do anything he needed to do to protect all of it. 

 


	46. Chapter 46

Seth woke up Saturday morning still snuggled up with Dean and their dogs.

For a moment, he just closed his eyes and let it all sink in.  If someone had told him six months ago, hell a month ago, that he'd be here now, he would have thought they were crazy. 

As crazy as it seemed, this was now his life.  Dean was his and last night he'd made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere.

Seth had never felt so right about anything before and he couldn't wait until they made things official.  Marrying Dean and creating the life they both wanted was all he could see.

Leaning up, he gave Dean a kiss on his cheek as he slid out of bed, the dogs instantly coming awake and following him downstairs.

After walking and feeding them, he whipped some omelettes up before putting them on a tray with some orange juice and heading upstairs where he gently woke his boyfriend, "Hey babe, I made breakfast."

With a whine, Dean slowly opened his eyes, the smell and sight of the food getting to him and making him sit up, "Looks good Princess, just give me a minute to wake up," he said stretching a bit before leaning forward for a kiss.  Satisfied, he set back and gestured for Seth and the food to join him.

In between bites, Seth turned to him, "I was thinking maybe we could stop by the gym for a bit.  I've cancelled on Finn and Sami twice now and Sami told me they'd be up there today."

Dean shrugged, mouth still full as he mumbled, "S'good with me."

Seth grinned, "Alright and then I was thinking maybe we could get in another date?"

Dean swallowed the orange juice he'd just picked up before turning to him with a smirk, "I take it you already have something in mind?"

Seth nodded, "Yep and no, I'm not going to tell you what it is!"

Dean scowled at him, "Asshole!  Now I'm going to spend all day wondering what's going on in that pretty head of yours."

Seth giggled, "All part of my evil plan!  But before we get started on that, I think a shower is in order."

Dean laughed, "I thought we agreed that a shower was always on the agenda?  Why don't you get it warmed up for us and I'll run this stuff downstairs.  I take it you already took the brats out?"

Seth nodded as he stood up and began to head towards the bathroom, "All taken care of."

Dean stopped for a moment eyeing his ass as he walked out of sight, shaking his head with a wry grin, he made himself get going, determined to make it back upstairs as soon as possible. 

...

The second the pair entered the gym, they were overrun by Seth's three friends who had all seen the article and wanted to know all of the details.

Rolling his eyes, Seth led them back to the office where he caught them up on everything that had happened in the last week, their eyes darkening as he told him about Patrick breaking into his house while he was gone.

"Damn Seth, you need to get yourself hooked up with some kind of security system!" Matt exclaimed.

Seth threw a grin Dean's way as he reached out for his hand, giving it a squeeze, "Already done, Dean had new locks put on and a system installed yesterday by the time I got home."

Sami laughed, "You got yourself a winner here Seth!"

Seth gave another wistful grin, "You don't need to tell me that, I realized that a long time ago!"

Dean puffed out his chest with a smirk, "That's me: Super Boyfriend!" he grinned proudly as the rest broke into chuckles.  "But seriously, I'm hitting the road again on Monday so I'd really appreciate if you guys could keep a eye on him for me," he took a poke to the side from Seth who glared at him.  "I also think it would be a great idea to amp up the security here.  Seth already got his boss to agree to do that at work."

Matt nodded, "Probably not a bad idea."

Finn nodded, "Might not hurt ta have one of us stay with ya for a bit Seth.  I know ya hate the idea, but I think we'd all feel better if ya did."

Seth sighed, "I can take care of myself, but I appreciate the sentiment," Seth winced as Dean glared at him.  "Babe, I can't have someone by my side 24/7, but I'll think about it, alright?"

Dean nodded, placated for the moment, "So are we working out or what?" he turned to the others.

After a quick discussion, Matt and Seth headed to one of the crossfit classes while Dean took off to do some weightlifting with Finn and Sami.  After putting in a good hour workout, he thanked the guys and headed off to track down his boyfriend, finding him in front of one of the classes teaching, the other's eyes glued to him.

Standing at the back of the room, Dean watched him closely, surprised by this confident side of him.  He seemed at ease up there in a way he wasn't in most aspects of his life and he was clearly enjoying himself.  His eyes were lit up in a way that Dean had only ever seen when he looked at him and the sight gave Dean pause.

Seth's eyes finally caught on his, throwing him a grin before turning back to the class and wrapping things up, the students crowding around him afterwards, thanking him and asking if he was ever going to go back to teaching regularly again.  Clearly, he'd been missed.

As Seth finally advanced towards him, Dean quirked a eyebrow at him, making Seth raise one back, "What?"

"You!" Dean gestured at him.  "You're a natural up there!  Just how often did you used to do these things?"

Seth shrugged, "I used to teach once a week when I was in school and when I was interning, but then my duties amped up once I was hired on and I had to cut it back to once a month.  I've been trying to stick to that, but sometimes it gets hard to even get that one day in.  Matt has a couple of other guys who teach full time so it's cool."

Dean shook his head, "Looks to me like those other two don't have half of the rapport and skill that you do.  You looked like you were having a blast up there."

Seth looked confusedly at him, "I was, why?"

Dean sighed, "I've just never seen you enjoy your law work that way.  Just wondering why you never thought about doing this full time.  I bet you could make a killing at it.  I've seen a lot of guys I work with who've retired make a real living on physical fitness tapes and programs."

Seth blushed, "There are a ton of others out there who would be a lot better at that kind of thing than I would.  Do you know how many videos and classes there are out there?  Nah, I'll stick with what I'm good at."

Dean pierced him with a serious glare, "From what I just saw, you could give anyone a run for their money, but that's up to you.  Just making a suggestion.  I think it's cool that you have something like this that you are so passionate about; it's the way I feel when I get in a ring.  Can you say that you honestly feel that way at the office?"

Seth blinked at him, a bit blown away by the whole conversation, he opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out.  Shaking himself, he finally responded shyly, "Guess I've never really thought about it.  I just like doing this as a side job; a hobby more than anything."

Reaching out to give his hand a squeeze, Dean decided to change the subject, "So, are we going back home to clean up before this big date of ours?"

Trying to clear his head, Seth looked at him dumbly for a moment before catching on to what he'd asked, "Yeah, we should probably do that and maybe let the brats run in the yard for a bit.  It's too nice of a day to be cooped up inside."

With a grin, Dean led him out into the main gym where they tracked down his friends to say goodbye, Finn reiterating the offer to stay with him as Seth promised to meet them for lunch after Dean left.

...

After chilling in the back for a bit as the dogs played, Seth announced it was time for them to get going, Dean glaring at him again in mock anger.

He'd been happy when Seth had told him to dress casual, but he was still curious about where they were going.

He grinned at Seth when they pulled up in front of a buffet place, "You do know the way to my heart Princess!"

Seth just shook his head at him, "Try not to overfill; we have plans after this."

Despite his words, Dean made several trips back for more food, trying a little bit of everything. 

Seth was a bit more conservative, grabbing seconds on his favorites, but then calling it a day, sitting back and watching Dean fondly, if not with a hint of disbelief, "How the hell do you stay in such good shape eating like this?"

Dean shrugged, his mouth full to the brim, "Just do," he mumbled, pleased with himself when he drew one of Seth's adorable snorts.

Finally done, Dean scooted back and stretched his arms out, "Where to next?"

Seth just winked at him as he stood up and led them back to the car.

Heading around the corner, he pulled up in front of the town bowling alley, turning to look at Dean, who had a elated look on his face.

"Tell me they have Cosmic bowling tonight!" Dean exclaimed.

Seth beamed back at him, "Of course!  And if you're feeling really brave there's karaoke too."

Dean's eyes widened as he pumped his fists, "Oh we are so doing a duet!"

Seth giggled at his display, but he protested, "Not happening D!  I'll be your enthusiastic groupie."

As they headed inside, Dean murmured quietly to himself, "We'll see about that."

...

After Dean had been so into mini golf, he figured Dean would enjoy bowling and he was pleased to see the open joy on his face as they played through their three frames.

Although there had been some interest in Dean's appearance at the alley, after shaking a few hands and a couple of pics, everyone had pretty much left him alone.

Seth had introduced Dean to the owner and a few other people he knew who were playing.

He guess he shouldn't be surprised, but Dean was a great bowler, quickly taking the lead in each frame.

Seth laughed as after throwing another gutterball, Dean moved up behind him, showing him where to stand and how to adjust his stance.

To Dean's amusement, a few others on either side of them were cheering Seth on and offering encouragement.

Eventually, Seth managed to finally get a strike, turning around and jumping into Dean's arms with a shout.  Stealing a victory kiss, he then high-fived their new friends in the lanes next to them.

As Dean stepped up for his turn, the deejay spun "Staying Alive", causing Dean to give a little spastic shake, throwing Seth a wink.

As Dean threw another strike before dancing his way back to him, Seth collapsed in giggles, grabbing his phone and getting some video that he then shot to Roman.

_And he hasn't even been drinking Uce!_

Seth laughed as he got back a immediate message.

_Jesus Christ, this is so going to be my new blackmail material...thanks!  Glad u guys are having fun._

"What are you laughing about over there?" Dean asked, poking him.

Smirking, he showed him Ro's text, Dean tickling him, "You are so going to pay for this Princess!"

Still laughing, Seth went to take his turn before Dean wrapped things, coming out as the clear winner once again.

As they dropped off their balls and shoes, Dean spotted the little arcade, pulling Seth over as they took a turn on all of the games before Dean dragged him to the bar.

As they each ordered a beer, Dean led him over to a table near the karaoke stage, Seth throwing him a look.

Dean grabbed the song book as he stuck his tongue out at him, "Winner gets to choose the way to celebrate and I say a duet works."

Seth began to protest again, when Dean reached out for his hand, "Didn't you say you wanted to be open to trying new things with me?"

Seth blushed, "That wasn't exactly in this capacity babe."

Dean laughed, "Trust me?"

Seth sighed, "You know I do."

Dean beamed at him, "Let's do this and if you hate it, we never have to try again."

Unable to resist his pleading look, Seth let him drag him on stage, glaring at him as the strains of "I Got You Babe" began to play.  "I hate you!" he mouthed at him.

With a shit eating grin, Dean began to sing a exaggerated version of Sonny's parts leaving Cher's for Seth.  He started out quietly, blushing as his body shook with nerves, but as he focused on Dean's smiling face, he found himself blocking everything else out as his confidence grew.

Dean beamed showing off his dimples as Seth began to get into it.  By the end, they were swaying together, shouting out the final chorus.

Taking a giggling bow, the pair exited the stage, Dean discreetly grabbing his phone, which he'd passed off to the guy running things.  

He'd let Seth in on the fact that there was video later and he'd definitely be sending it to their friends!

...

"Thank you," Seth voiced, halfway through their drive back home.

Dean turned to him questioningly, "Shouldn't I be thanking you for a amazing date?"

Seth smiled, "You're welcome, but I'm talking about how you always seem to get me out of my comfort zone.  Tonight was fun, but if I hadn't have gotten up with you, I would have regretted it."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Dean squeezed his hand.

Minutes from the house, Seth's phone rang, the call coming through the radio speakers.

Not even looking, Seth answered,  _"Hello?"_

_"Seth?  It's Randy.  Are you still out with Dean on the road?"_

_"No, we're at home."_

_"In Iowa?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Fuck, I'm sorry man, but Patrick got away from me.  I met him at the bar and he was spouting all kinds of bullshit about that article.  He blamed me for Renee and said he was going to make you and Dean pay.  I turned to pay his tab and he ran out and took off in his car.  I'm worried because he was furious and not in his right mind.  Just be careful.  We both know he has that handgun in his car."_

_"Thanks man.  I know making this call couldn't have been easy."_

Hanging up, Seth turned wide eyes to Dean, whose fists were clenched.

"He won't get anywhere near you!" he growled.

Seth winced, "Or near you!"

Dean shook his head, "I'll do what I have to to keep you safe!"

Seth sighed, then gasped as they pulled up to the house and heard the alarm going off and saw the window broke out.

Jumping out of the car, Dean shouted, "Stay here and call the police!"

"Dean, no!"

Dean looked back at him, "Just please stay here baby!  I'm going to go get our boys."

The dogs could be heard barking over top of the alarm.

Seth quickly made the call, being told the alarm company had already called them and units were on the way.

Seth began to make his way inside when a car squealed up in front, Randy jumping out.  As Seth turned to him, a shot rang out from inside the house.

As Seth's legs gave out underneath him, Randy was suddenly at his side keeping him from falling.

Terrified, they moved towards the house as sirens rang out in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	47. Chapter 47

Seth was shaking uncontrollably as he and Randy tentatively entered the house.  The second he entered, he could hear scratching coming from the closet, realizing the dogs were locked inside.

Before he could open it to let them out, he could hear shouting coming from the living room.  Striding forward, he could see Dean and Patrick struggling with one another, the gun raised between them, "Dean!"

At his shout, both of them turned towards him, but as Dean tried to move towards him to urge him to get away, Patrick got the upper hand, grabbing Dean and holding him at gunpoint.

Seth desperately looked Dean over, relieved when it was clear he hadn't been shot.  Trying to keep his tone even, he addressed Patrick, "Patrick, what are you doing?  You know the police will be here in a minute?  You need to get out of here before they find you!"

"Shut up!" he roared back at him.  "This is all your fault!  If you had just listened for a change, we could have avoided this.  Now everyone thinks I'm this bastard you two made me out to be in the media!"

"That was on you sweetie, you made up lies about us and had them published.  All we did was respond with the truth," Seth's tone got softer.  "I've been talking with Randy and he told me how much you've been trying to change and how hard you've been working in therapy.  I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you tried to tell me at my parents, but can you understand why I didn't?  You scared me and you hurt me hun.  You promised to get help so many times before and didn't, but I get it now, I get that you finally understand and that you are trying for me; for us."

Patrick froze, looking at him suspiciously, "I am; I do, but you don't care.  All you care about is your new boyfriend and your perfect little life with him!"

Seth shook his head as he slowly moved forward, his hands out in front of him in surrender, "No hun, that's not true!  You were right when you said Dean would get tired of me.  We have nothing in common and although we've become friends, we realized that's all it can ever be.  Dean is on the road most of the year and my life is here.  He's booked on a flight to leave in a couple of hours actually."

Dean's eyes widened as he tried to figure out what game Seth was playing.  Why hadn't he stayed outside like he'd asked?  Didn't he realize that he was dealing with a man who had truly gone completely over the edge?  There was no negotiating with Patrick at this point.

Patrick continued to stare at him dubiously, "No, you're just trying to get me to let my guard down, you don't give a fuck about me!"

"That's not true Patrick.  You are my first real love; my only love!  Building a life with you was all I wanted until your anger got out of control.  What did I do to make you turn on me like that?" Seth's voice cracked as he chose to ask the one true burning question he'd been asking himself since the first night Patrick had raised his fists towards him.

Softening as he read the sincerity in his words, Patrick actually answered, "Pushing, you just kept pushing me all the time, expecting more than I could give.  You couldn't just leave me alone; couldn't just leave things alone!  It was none of your business where I was going or when I'd be back!  You had no right to question me or tell me I should stop drinking!  That was all on you sweetheart."

Seth had to bite his tongue before he said something he would regret, making himself look at Dean for reassurance, he got himself under control before answering, "Maybe you're right, but you put me in the hospital, nothing about that was okay!  If we're going to try again, I need to know that will never happen again!"

Dean bit his lip, glaring at Seth as he kept himself from shouting at him to be quiet, afraid to antagonize Patrick into somehow hurting his boyfriend.

Patrick suddenly smiled at Seth, "It's about time you came to your senses!  Everybody knows that we are meant to be together.  It's the way it should be for everyone.  Once he's out of the way, we can build that life that you kept saying you wanted."

Seth took a deep breath before he began to plead with him, "Baby, no!  If you hurt Dean, you're going to end up in jail and then what becomes of us?  Besides, Dean has really been a great friend to me, I don't want to see him hurt.  Just let Randy take him and his dog to the airport.  He'll make sure he gets on the plane and once he's gone from here, we can get on with our lives!" Seth moved forward, laying his arm cautiously on his shoulder.

Pushing Dean away and towards Randy, Patrick suddenly grasped Seth to him, gun still trained on Dean.  Looking at Randy, Patrick asked him, "Will you do that for us buddy?  Seth and I need some time to catch up."

Randy quickly agreed, "Of course man, anything to make things right between you two."

Stroking Patrick's cheek, Seth turned to Randy, "Thank you.  Do you think you can take Kevin with you on the drive?  He's pretty worked up and with the window open, I'm afraid he'd get away while the two of us are getting reacquainted," Seth's eyes pleaded with both him and Dean as Dean stared back at him in disbelief.

As Patrick kissed the side of his neck, Seth shivered, trying to cover it up with a, "Baby, that tickles!" when all he really wanted to do was throw up.  The thought of going upstairs with him made him shudder, but he'd do anything if it meant Dean and the dogs got out of there safe. 

He couldn't believe that Patrick was going along with him, had so easily bought into what he was selling him, but he was just grateful for it.  He just prayed the cops held off on storming the place.

As if reading his mind, Patrick's hold on him suddenly tightened, "Fuck, the cops are out there!"

Randy interrupted, "We can get them to leave.  We can blame the broken window on one of the neighbor's kids."

"The fuck we will!" Dean finally couldn't take it anymore.

Glaring at him, Patrick's hold on the gun once again re-aimed at Dean's head, "Shut the hell up!  You should be grateful Seth here wants me to let you live."

Dean's eyes closed at the look of terror Seth threw him.  Knowing that for the moment, he had to play along, he mumbled, "I won't do anything until you reassure me that you won't hurt Seth.  I need to know that nothing like what happened before will happen again."

With another sharp look, Patrick hissed, "I don't owe you anything, but I promise everyone here that I won't hurt Seth. Now that you're out of the picture, we can finally pick up where we left off!"'

"Patrick, you beat Seth until he ended up in the hospital and you forced him into sex when he didn't want it.  You've got to see how wrong that was and why we'd be worried about it happening again.  I think we all just needed to hear that reassurance," Randy interjected.

Sighing, Patrick answered, "Alright, I get it.  I promise that I won't hurt Seth again, but I never made him have sex.  He wanted it just as much as I did: he just loved playing hard to get."

Seth's eyes closed at the words, Dean bared his teeth and Randy stared in disbelief, but nobody tried to correct him.  Patrick obviously truly believed what he was saying.

Resigned to the situation, Dean nodded, "Alright, if you need anything Seth, you let me know!" Dean tried once again to send him a pleading look.

"Thanks Dean, I'm just sorry the dogs didn't become as good of friends as we did.  Guess we failed on the whole training thing; they're never going to respond to the same command at the same time," Seth stated, to Dean's confusion.  With everything going on, that's what he was thinking about?

As Dean turned to go, already planning on coming back in once the dogs and Randy were safe, Seth's words suddenly made sense, his eyes widening in understanding.  With a smirk, Dean went to the closet to let them out, both dogs swarming him as they barked at him.  Turning back around he locked eyes with Seth as he yelled, "Get him boys!" at the same time Seth whistled for them.

With both dogs eager to get to Seth first and get his attention, they bowled right into both Seth and Patrick who still had a tight hold on him.  As they ran into him, Patrick's grip on the gun loosened and Seth grabbed it away from him, pushing back as he aimed it at him.

Snarling, Patrick tried to grab him, but suddenly sensing the danger, the dogs both bared their teeth at him, each clamping down on one of his ankles.

Hand shaking, Seth held the gun on him, "No more!  You will never hurt me or anyone I care about ever again!"

Rolling his eyes at him, Patrick reached out for the gun, "Give it to me Seth, we both know you don't have the guts to use it!"

"Watch me!" he yelled as his finger moved to the trigger.  He never knew if he would have actually gone through it because at that moment, Dean moved behind him, slipping his arms around him as he drew him back, whispering in his ear, "Don't let him win baby!  He wants to take the easy way out.  Let him rot in prison and have to live with the guilt and shame that's coming his way."

Meanwhile, Randy had slipped out, urging the cops inside, who came in as Seth lowered the gun and held it out to them.  As they cuffed Patrick and secured the scene, Dean watched Seth answer their questions robotically, his eyes void of any emotion.

Shivering, Dean gave his own statement alongside Randy, lighting up when Randy shared that his phone had been connected to 911 the entire time, meaning they would have a record of him admitting to the beating and the rape, even if he hadn't said the exact words.  It would also help reinforce the evidence of the crimes he had committed that night.

Shaking hands with the officers, Dean then turned to Randy, thanking him for all of his help and letting him know that they'd be in touch soon.  Turning around, he found his boyfriend sitting on the couch, clearly still in shock.  Grabbing the dogs, Dean moved in front of him, forcing him to look at him, "Princess, I'm going to take the dogs for a walk and then I'll put something on the window for the night, alright?"

Seth blinked at him, but didn't respond.  With a sigh, Dean left him there, determined to get back as soon as possible.  Re-entering moments later, Seth was still in the same position he had left him in.  He wondered if maybe he should have listened to the cops and gone to the hospital to get him checked out.

Shaking his head, Dean told himself that he could do this: he could find a way to bring Seth back to him.  Dean quickly fed the dogs and then went out back to grab some firewood from outside to plug up the window, but the sight gave him another idea as well so he grabbed a couple of extra logs.

Grabbing the saw from the garage, he cut up some pieces for the window before heading back in and nailing them across the opening.  Satisfied that he'd done the best he could, he let the curtain fall back in front of it and turned back to Seth. 

With no reaction coming from him, Dean grabbed a blanket off the couch and draped it over him as he grabbed the logs he'd brought in and got them set up in the fireplace he hadn't had a chance to use yet. The first time he'd seen it, he'd imagined curling up with Seth in front of it as they made love, but right now all he was concerned with was creating some type of peace for his boyfriend.

Once he had a fire going, Dean went upstairs grabbing as many blankets and pillows as he could before bringing them downstairs and setting them up in front of the fire.  He ran into the kitchen and grabbed some waters before coming back and turning on Seth's stereo, finding a soothing R&B channel playing instrumentals.

Turning off the lights and calling for the dogs, Dean made his way over to the couch, picking up Seth in the blanket and carrying him to the floor, where he lay him down in the nest he'd made, halfway sat up on the pile of pillows. 

Grabbing the comforter from their bed, Dean wrapped them both up in it as he pulled his boyfriend into his arms, grinning as the dogs ran in and immediately settled down on Seth's other side, tongues wagging happily at the feel of the pile of blankets.  As if waking up from a long nap, Dean was pleased to see some awareness coming back into Seth's eyes as his hands almost instantly began to stroke the dogs backs.

"Hey baby," he whispered in his ear, laying a kiss on his forehead.  "We're here Princess.  We're all safe and we're not going anywhere."

Turning towards him, Seth gave a little whimper, suddenly burrowing into him, his face pressed tightly into his chest, "Shh," Dean slowly stroked his back.  "It's okay Seth, it's over."

Just like that, the wall that Seth had placed all of his feelings behind when he'd entered the house after the gunshot began to tumble down as he broke apart in Dean's arms, sobbing.  Letting his own terror from the evening out, Dean gripped him tighter and cried along with him, rocking him along with him as they let go.

Eventually, they exhausted their tears as the dogs crawled closer towards them, seeming to sense their turmoil.  With a little grin, Seth looked down at them, "Our babies saved us today!"

Dean smiled as he reached over to pat them as well, "Yeah they did.  We owe them every treat on record and as many long walks as they want, but they're not the only ones who saved us.  You were amazing baby!"

Seth shook his head, "I did what I had to do.  I couldn't let him hurt you or them.  I was so scared when I heard that gunshot, you should have never come in here by yourself!"

Dean shrugged, "And I did what I had to do.  I wasn't going to let him hurt you or our boys either.  I would have gladly sacrificed myself for you, the same way you were willing to do for me."

Seth trembled as he crawled into his lap, "I'd do anything for you!"

Dean's hands grasped his waist, "I know that Princess and I love you for it.  It's going to be okay, we're going to find a way to get through this, alright?"

Seth nodded, "I believe you.  I just need you and Kev and Blue right now.  Do you think we can stay here tonight?"

In answer, Dean lay flat, drawing Seth with him as the dogs readjusted themselves, "Not going anywhere baby.  Get some rest," Dean dropped another kiss on his forehead as Seth lifted his hand, kissing his wrist.

"Night babe," Seth whispered as he linked their fingers.

"Night Seth."


	48. Chapter 48

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken awhile for this chapter to get up, but it's been a really rough week. However, it's a bit of a longer chapter, so hopefully it was worth the wait...here's a little more family time before things ramp up again!

Dean slept fitfully, finding himself waking up to check on Seth at various times throughout the night, his heart pumping after being plagued by images of Patrick pulling Seth away from him.

Twice he was woken up by Seth himself, who was thrashing around and whimpering in his sleep, obviously reliving the events from the evening.  Dean had held him and talked to him quietly until he'd settled down and was sleeping calmly again.

Throughout all of it, the dogs stayed tightly by their sides, providing what comfort they could, picking up on the uneasy mood of their owners.

Finally, around 9, Dean gave up on sleep and slid out of their nest, leaving Seth a note in case he woke up as he took the dogs out for a quick walk, seeing a few of Seth's neighbors eyeing him as he walked by, sure they were curious about all of the activity yesterday.

As he headed back up to the house, he passed Seth's neighbor Dave, who Dean had introduced himself to after the break-in.  Stopping, Dean gave him a brief rundown on the events of the previous evening, gaining another promise from him to keep an eye on the house and Seth since he had to hit the road again the next day.

Dean was dreading leaving Seth behind for well over a week due to his house show schedule this week and the pay per view next Sunday.  He knew that Patrick would weasel his way out on bond as soon as he could Monday morning and Dean feared he would immediately head for Seth. 

He was going to make sure he'd put in as many safety measures as possible to insure his boyfriend's safety while he was gone, even if that meant Seth was annoyed with him.  Thanking Dave, Dean headed inside with the dogs to feed them and figure out breakfast for him and Seth.

He threw together some pancakes and made some hashbrowns before tossing in some bacon to go with it.  As the smell of the food permeated the house, it woke Seth up, who rolled over to find both dogs standing there looking at him expectantly.

Confused, Seth sat up and stretched, "What do you want boys?  Judging by the food and sounds from the kitchen, your other daddy already fed and walked you," in answer, both of their tails began to wag as they took his attention to mean that he was asking for them to both jump in his lap at once.

Giggling, Seth settled back down into the nest of blankets Dean had built for them, letting them both sprawl across his lap as he took turns petting them, "You know, you two are being awfully good to one another.  I think you deserve a reward.  Do you want to go to the park later?"

Kevin's ears picked up at the words, barking joyfully, causing Blue to do the same, even though he wasn't sure what they were supposed to be so happy about.

"I think we can probably work that into our day," Dean announced from the doorway where he'd been watching the whole interaction.

Seth grinned over at him, "Yeah because our day is just so jam-packed!"

Dean laughed at him, "I don't know, I was kind of counting on a day in bed."

Seth winked at him, "We can still do that and take the boys out for a bit.  They deserve it!"

"That they do," Dean moved forward, coming to rest on his knees next to them as he leaned in for his good morning kiss.  "Breakfast is ready if you want to join me."

Seth nodded, "I'm just going to run to the bathroom."

Dean watched him saunter up the stairs, grinning evilly at him when Seth turned around to find him fixated on his ass, "Really babe?"

Dean shrugged nonchalantly, "Shouldn't put it in front of me if you didn't want me to look."

Seth just rolled his eyes at him as he disappeared from view.

...

After breakfast, they ended up curled up on the sofa underneath the blankets Dean had snatched up from the floor, the dogs immediately jumping up to snuggle across their feet.

Dean scrolled through the movies on Netflix, nothing really jumping out at him.  Instead, they pulled up a comedy they both liked and started watching from the first episode, just enjoying being in one another's arms.

A few episodes in, Seth suggested a bath and laughed as Dean immediately paused the current episode and swung him up into his arms, startling the dogs, who barked unappreciatively at them.

Once upstairs, they stripped off yesterday's clothes and made themselves comfortable, Seth once again settling into Dean's arms with a contented sigh.  After laying there for a bit, Seth turned himself around so he was straddling him.

Looking up at him expectantly, Dean asked, "Can I help you with something Princess?"

Seth shook his head, cheeks flushed as he bent down and let his tongue swipe out across Dean's nipples, "Just thinking we could put this time to good use."

Dean shivered at the feeling, his nipples immediately hardening in response, "I like the way you think baby," Dean reached down and drew his head up so he could kiss him, Seth moving even closer as their growing cocks brushed against one another, causing them both to gasp and break apart for a moment.

Leaning back in, they made out with abandon, slowly frotting against one another as the tension heated up between them.

Drawing back for air, Seth pleaded, "Want to make love to you Dean; need to be inside of you!"

Eyes dilating at the thought, Dean nodded, standing up and carrying Seth out of the tub, leaving a trail of water to the bathroom and soaking the bed as he dropped him onto it and moved into position over him, "Going to get you ready Princess."

Seth moaned as Dean leaned down, taking his dick inside his throat in one fell swoop. making Seth throw his head back in ecstasy as he tried to keep himself from driving up at him.

Bobbing up and down at a steady pace, Dean quickly drew Seth to the edge before sliding off and backing away with a grin, "Give it to me baby!"

Laughing, Seth pushed Dean down onto his back as he straddled him, leaning down for a kiss before sliding down and tonguing his dick for a minute before pushing his legs back and moving down to lick at his center, pointing his tongue as he plunged inside.

Dean moaned as Seth began to explore, licking at his walls desperately.  Feeling himself hitting the edge, Dean pushed him back, making Seth look down at him in concern, "What's wrong babe?"

Dean just grinned at him, "I was about to cum and I want you in me first."

Seth blushed as he leaned down for a kiss before moving into position, grabbing the lube and working Dean open further quickly.

As he fingered him, Dean took the lube from him and used the time to work it over Seth's dick, making him twitch in pleasure.  Letting go, Dean pleaded, "Come on baby, I'm ready for you!"

Nodding, Seth slid into place as he smoothly moved his cock into Dean, once again overtaken by his heat and tightness, having to stop and catch his breath for a moment before beginning his slow thrusts.

Watching Dean's visible pleasure as he arched back up at him continued to keep Seth in awe and as he thought about it, he found himself pulling Dean up and over as he requested, "Want you to ride me babe.  I want to see you!"

Dean's eyes lighting up with a nod, he leaned down to share a quick kiss with Seth before sitting up and placing his hands on Seth's chest as he began to move.  Seth moaned as he watched him rising and falling onto him, reaching out to stroke his chest, his hands brushing Dean's taut nipples and through his chest hair.

Feeling himself hitting the edge, Seth's hands fell to Dean's hips and he began to pump his own hips up and down, matching Dean's rhythm as he began to drive them both to a finish.  Dean gasped as Seth began to hit his prostate with every move as he urged Dean to get himself off. 

Shaking, Dean grasped his dick and furiously began to pump it as Seth suddenly released inside of him with a howl.  Before he even knew what was happening, Seth was pulling out, his cum dripping down Dean's leg as Seth apologized, "Fuck D, I'm sorry babe, but I just couldn't hold back!"

Dean laughed down at him, "That was so fucking hot baby!  You have nothing to be sorry for.  The fact that you couldn't hold yourself back is pretty fucking amazing!"

Seth smiled up at him as he urged him forward, wrapping his hand around Dean's still aching cock, "Want me to get you off like this or would you rather finish inside of me?"

Dean's eyes dilated as he croaked out, "Inside, fuck!" Dean grabbed the tube of lube that was still laying beside them and frantically threw some on his dick before coating his fingers and roughly pushing inside of Seth as he hurriedly made sure he was open and ready for him.

Trembling at the look in Dean's eyes, Seth's legs slid up trapping Dean between them as he urged him to, "Just get inside already!"

Lust overriding everything else, Dean quickly obeyed, pushing himself inside with one big thrust, causing Seth to let out a quick moan of pain that rapidly dissolved into a sound of pleasure as Dean immediately found his pleasure spot, making him see stars.

Not able to last long, Dean was almost immediately exploding, his body shaking as he finally was able to let go, staring down in disbelief as Seth jerked below him, hitting his second orgasm without having been touched at all.

Pulling out, Dean proceeded to lick up every drop of cum around his dick before pushing his legs back and lapping up his own cum which was still dripping down Seth's thighs.  Seth gasped as his spent dick twitched, already showing interest despite having cum twice already.

Dropping back down onto the mattress, Dean began to laugh helplessly, "How is it possible to just keep getting better and better Princess?"

Moving himself closer so he could drop down over him, Seth shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm not going to question it, I'm just going to continue to be grateful for it."

Dean hummed in agreement, "Good point, give me a minute to get myself together and then I'll clean us up and we can take a quick nap before we take the dogs to the park."

Already halfway gone, Seth murmured, "M'kay," as he snuggled into Dean's chest.

Smiling, Dean made himself go grab a washcloth, taking care of both of them before finding his way back into bed and Seth's arms.

...

After a successful nap, the pair walked the dogs over to the park and let them run around for a bit, Dean chasing them around before Seth pulled out the frisbee and took turns having them catch it for him.  Before long, they'd tired out, sprawling at their feet as Dean and Seth rested on one of the benches. 

Snuggled up, Seth was so focused on the contented feeling flowing through him that he failed to hear Dean speaking.  Moving back, he asked, "Sorry, what did you say?"

Quirking a grin at him, Dean said, "I wanted to know if you had any ideas on dinner.  I was thinking maybe we could order in from somewhere and play a game or something," as he spoke, he wound Seth's hair around his fingers.

Nodding, Seth answered, "Yeah, how do you feel about Chinese?"

Dean shrugged, "Sounds good," stretching, Dean stood up, offering him his hand as he pulled him up and got the dogs together.

As they began to head back, Seth asked, "Did you mean you wanted to play a video game or some board games?  I've got a closet full of them if you'd like."

Dean grinned, squeezing his hand, "Yeah, that's more my speed anyways."

Back home, they fed the dogs and Seth showed him where the games were as he went to call in their order.  Striding back into the living room, he laughed as he found Dean back on the floor in their makeshift bed lighting another fire; the dogs and a host of board games spread out around him.

Looking up Dean winked at him, "Pick your poison Princess!"

A few hours later, the pair had eaten and worked their way through a round of Sorry, which Seth won, a game of checkers which Dean had emphatically won, his elaborate movements causing Seth to crack up and a rousing game of Candy Land, which Dean had also won, causing him to get up to do his dorky robot dance in triumph as Seth hid his face in his hands.

After deciding that Uno and Monopoly would take too long, they cleaned up with a promise to revisit them when they had more time.  After getting rid of the fire and depositing their nest of blankets back upstairs, the pair decided to grab some more hot tub time before they headed to bed.

As they lay curled up together in the steamy water, Dean hesitantly began to talk, "Hey baby, remember when I got mad about you calling Roman to come out to your father's party?"

Confused, Seth sat back as he said,  "Yeah, why?"

"Umm, well it's your turn to be mad I guess.  I, uh, did something earlier that you're going to hate, but it's really the best thing right now," Dean tried to explain.

"Alright, what did you do?" Seth asked.

"I texted Finn and told him what was going on.  I asked him to be here in the morning and take care of getting the window fixed for us while you're at work," Dean shared.

Seth shrugged, "Okay, why would I be mad about that?"

Dean's eyes dropped as did his voice, "I may have also asked him to come and stay with you until I can come home."

Seth froze as his eyes darkened, "D, I told you that I don't need a babysitter..."

Dean cut him off, "I know that baby, but we both know that with Patrick's money and his father's influence, he's going to get out on bond tomorrow.  Now, his father may convince him to lay low until the trial, but I'm not willing to take that chance.  I want someone with you in case he tries to come back.  I know you hate the idea, but can you please do this for me?  If I leave, I need to have some sort of peace of mind that you're safe while I'm gone.  I'll feel better with the dogs and Finn by your side."

"And knowing you, my other friends will be popping around too.  Have you gotten around to asking my neighbor Dave to watch out for me as well?" Seth hissed.

Dean shrugged, "Yeah and I'm not sorry for that either.  Think about it Princess, if this was turned around, you'd be doing the same thing for me!"

Sighing, Seth's anger dialed down a notch, "Alright, you make a good point, but I still don't like it!"

Dean pulled him back down into his arms, nuzzling into his neck, "I know, but it will make me feel better and I think in the end it will make you feel better too."

"Okay, Finn can stay," Seth muttered in his ear, rolling his eyes as Dean squeezed him, "Thank you baby!  Get through this week and I'll make sure you get well rewarded when I get home!"

Seth sighed again, "I don't want you to leave!"

Dean winced, "Me either, but we knew eventually this was going to have to happen.  We're going to have to find a way to get used to it I guess.  I just wish you could be there Sunday when we win the belts.  I'd love to have you by my side to celebrate, but I'll be flying home right afterwards."

Suddenly smiling, Seth leaned back again, beaming down at him, "Maybe I can, I mean as long as we can get a flight back here before I have to get up for work.  I could meet up with you Saturday and we can still spend the weekend together."

Dean's face brightened at his enthusiasm, "I'd love that, but do you think Finn will watch the dogs for us for a couple of days?"

Seth shrugged, "I'm sure he will.  If not, I'm sure one of my friends can."

Happy with the new plan, the pair got out, toweling themselves off before shutting down the tub and heading upstairs to bed.  Stripping down, they fixed their blankets before cuddling back up.

As they drifted off to sleep, both of their minds where whirling with thoughts about their inevitable separation the following morning.

 

 

 


	49. Chapter 49

All too soon, Seth's alarm was going off and he was dragging himself out of the warmth of Dean's arms.  Trying not to disturb him, he made his way downstairs and took the dogs out and fed them before heading back upstairs.

As he walked into the bedroom, he was surprised to find Dean sitting up in bed, his hand moving through his messy hair as he looked at him sleepily, "Shower?"

Seth laughed as he nodded, "Yeah, shower."  He continued to giggle as Dean dragged himself up and over to him, slumping against his shoulder as Seth wound his arms around him.  "Come on sleepy, the water will wake you up!"

Shuffling to the bathroom with Dean still wrapped around him, Seth finally pulled back to lose his clothes as he helped Dean lose his boxers.  Letting him go, he moved over to the turn the water on, finding a decent temperature before turning back towards him and pulling him along with him into the shower.

Despite the time constraint, the pair took their time soaping one another off before washing each other's hair, determined to touch each and every inch of available skin before Dean turned Seth around and pushed him up against the wall, holding him up as he entered him with no prep, Seth's head dropping back to the wall as he jerked against him.

Slowing to let him adjust, Dean's lips made their way across his pecs and chest before lavishing his nipples as he gently nipped at them as Seth began to slowly move against him, urging him to get on with it.  The second Dean had his permission, he pulled back and began to drive upwards with fierce thrusts drawing out the little gasps that he loved to hear from Seth when he was lost in passion.

Reaching up, Dean's hand cupped his cheek as he urged him to open his eyes, "Look at me baby, I want to see those beautiful eyes of yours."

Trying desperately to obey him, Seth struggled to keep his eyes focused on him, lust causing his pupils to dilate as he took in the view of Dean holding him up effortlessly, his flashing eyes glued to his with a intensity that Seth could feel deep down in his bones, making him tremble as he reached down and urged Dean's lips up to his.

Letting him slide down a bit, Dean reached up to him as he took his lips furiously, both of them desperately clinging to every aspect of their connection, dreading Dean walking out the door.

Needing to breathe, Dean buried his face in Seth's neck as he suddenly drew out of him, making Seth whine as Dean sat him down.  Surprised, Seth suddenly found himself being swung up into Dean's arms and carried back to their bed as Dean quickly pushed his legs up and buried himself back inside of him.

Moaning, Seth wound his arms around his neck as his legs laced behind his back, pushing him deeper as he began to meet his thrusts with his own, both driving rapidly to their climax.  As their bodies began to shake with almost simultaneous orgasms, Seth's head fell back as he yelled out Dean's name, his voice causing Dean to grip him tighter as he coated Seth's channel, Seth's name falling in a steady stream from his lips as he mouthed along his throat.

Content, the pair lay there still connected until Dean forced himself to pull out, "I'd give anything to stay right here Princess, but you've got to get dressed and get to work and I have a plane to catch."

Seth gave a wary sigh as he forced himself to get up and head back to the bathroom, washing himself down with the washcloth before beginning his morning routine. 

Dean followed behind him, cleaning himself off and using the toilet before grabbing some shorts and a t-shirt and heading downstairs to answer the door where Finn had arrived.

"Hey Dean, good ta see ya!  How's Seth?" Finn greeted him.

Giving him a fist bump, Dean answered, "Good to see you too man, thanks for doing this.  He's okay, well as okay as he can be I guess.  We'd both rather I stayed here, but I really can't take any time off right now.  Listen, he's going to come spend the weekend with me, do you think you could watch the dogs for us for a couple of days?  We'll be coming home after the pay per view Sunday night."

Finn shrugged, "Fine wit me.  Just let me know tha routine."

"Thanks man!" Seth came downstairs, fully dressed for work as he moved forward to give Finn a hug.  "I know I've been kind of a brat about this whole thing, but I do appreciate you being here and for helping us take care of the window."

Finn waved his hand at him, "I already told ya boy, it's nothing!  You'd do tha same for me.  Besides, I've felt pretty useless in this whole thing with Patrick so I'm glad I can do something for ya.  Now, you two hungry?" he headed back out on to the porch where he grabbed the box of pastries and coffee he'd picked up on the way over.

Dean's face lit up, "Yes!  We were a little slow getting it together this morning so we haven't had a chance to make anything."

Finn eyed them suspiciously, "Ya telling me that Seth wasn't up on time?  Yeah, not buying it!  Get a quickie in did ya?"

Seth blushed as Dean beamed proudly, throwing his arm over Seth's shoulder as he proclaimed, "Of course!  Had to make sure we had something to hold on to until Saturday."

Finn laughed at how proud Dean was of himself and how embarrassed Seth was by the whole display, "I need ta hang out with ya two more, ya always entertain me!"

Seth groaned as Finn moved forward jabbing him in the stomach playfully.

The trio sat down and ate Finn's pastries as they talked about work, the gym and Dean's upcoming championship win, Seth bragging to him about going to watch his boyfriend bring home the prize.

Before long, Seth's eyes brushed his clock and he frowned as he realized he was going to have to go if he was going to make it to work on time.  With a sigh, he got up and thanked Finn again, promising him a special dinner later to show his appreciation. 

Sensing the tension, Finn excused himself to go put his bags in the guest bedroom. As he disappeared upstairs, Seth threw himself into Dean's arms, clinging to him.

Dean leaned down to give him a kiss as he reassured him, "It's just five days baby; Saturday will be here before we know it!  Now promise me you'll be careful and you won't head off anywhere by yourself right now.  If Patrick comes anywhere near you, don't hesitate to call the police!"

Seth frowned, but reluctantly agreed, "I promise, but remember, you owe me at the end of the week!  I love you babe, I'm gonna miss you so much," Seth gave him another squeeze before pulling away.

Dean grinned at him, "Love you too Princess.  I'll make sure Finn has the run down on everything before the shuttle gets here to take me to the airport.  I'll let you know when I land.  Go give them hell at work!"

Seth tearfully reached his hand out, giving Dean one last squeeze before he walked away, determined not to look back.  At the door, he yelled back to him, "Love you!" grinning as Dean returned the sentiment with a loud yell of his own, both of them giggling as Finn's voice drifted down the stairs, "Please boys, there's not enough of me to go around for both of ya, you're gonna have to hold yourselves back!"

Squaring his shoulders, Seth walked out and to his car, letting his mind turn to his upcoming cases and what he needed to do for the day.

...

Dean's flight seemed to take forever as he kept moving around in his seat frustratingly, driving the person next to him crazy.  He already missed traveling with his boyfriend, who he knew would have him properly distracted.

Trying to find something to keep his mind off of the image of Seth lying underneath him, Dean pulled out his phone, sorting through the sparse text messages he'd gotten over the weekend, pausing at one from Hunter, sharing that he and Vince wanted to see him and Roman as soon as they got to the venue tonight.

Sighing, Dean wondered what the hell the problem was now!  He quickly messaged Roman.

_What's the latest hell meeting with Vinnie and Hunter all about?_

Roman was quick to get back to him, sending a series of rapid messages.

_I was going to ask if you've been online, but then I realized who I was talking to.  This latest incident with Patrick is all over the news.  I'm betting they're not very happy about all of the new publicity right before we win the belts._

_We're going to need to go in there apologetically, man.  I know you hate the idea of groveling, but let's not rock the boat right now. The last thing we want is them snatching our opportunity away from us again._

_You better start thinking of ways to spin this positively.  That whole statement you guys put out and Renee's retraction went a long way to appeasing them, but this is a whole other animal._

Dean rolled his eyes as he punched in his own message.

_Not our fucking fault that that psychotic asshole decided to play target practice with us!  Randy fucking taped his ass admitting to everything, so there's no way they can pin this on us!  I'm not going to let them take our chance away from us and I'm sure as hell not going to let them try to blame Seth for any of this._

Dean had barely sent it before his phone was buzzing again.

_I know that Uce!  We'll figure this out, but I just need you to keep a cool head; not antagonizing the old man, alright?_

Sighing, Dean leaned back in his seat, his fingers tapping his collar bone furiously.  Closing his eyes, he brought up a image of his boyfriend smiling at him in that awed way Dean had come to love.  Relaxing a bit, he took a deep breath before answering back.

_I promise I'll try for you and for Seth, but the second they cross the line, I'm going lunatic on both of their asses!_

Dean grinned as he read Roman's response.

_I wouldn't expect anything less Uce!_

...

Seth was at work for an hour before he heard a knock at his door.  Getting up, he let his boss in as he headed back to his seat.  Sitting down in front of him, Mr. Meyers stared at him intently for a moment, making him squirm uncomfortably.

He was relieved when his boss finally opened his mouth, "So, Saturday was a really rough night for you.  If you need a little time off or if you need to step back your workload, please let me know now."

Seth stared at him in surprise, "I kind of checked out yesterday, I take it that it was on the news?"

"Yes," his boss confirmed.  "Most of the news outlets seemed to report the facts fairly yesterday and clearly support you and the violence you've endured, but I thought maybe today's article would have made things difficult for you."

Seth sighed, not really wanting to know, but knowing he needed to deal with whatever it was, "What did he do?"

In answer, Mr. Meyers opened his phone and turned it towards Seth, letting him read the massive headline: " **Years of emotional abuse drives local businesssman to desperate act.** "

Skimming down, Seth balked at the interview Patrick gave from prison calling Dean out for constant bullying since the day he met Seth and accusing Seth of mental abuse throughout their relationship that drove him to a breakdown where he was determined to make Seth watch him commit suicide.

Shaking with anger, Seth couldn't believe the asshole had the gall to completely leave out the part where he'd shot at Dean and threatened all of them with his gun.

As he trembled, his boss' hand was suddenly on his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort, "I'm sorry we sat back and let this get so out of control Seth, but we're determined to make sure Patrick gets the help he needs now.  I think we can both agree that a long, drawn out trial would be a disaster for everyone, but Patrick's father has assured me that he is determined to get Patrick committed so he can start working on his anger and mental issues in private."

Drawing back, Seth looked up at him in confusion, "What are you talking about?"

Mr. Meyers answered calmly, "He wants to make a plea deal.  No jail time in exchange for being placed in a mental facility for the next couple of years.  It will save his family, the company and you any additional embarrassment and you won't have to relive the incident. Your father was here this morning and met with his father and his lawyer and he seems to think the agreement is a legitimate one."

Blinking at him, his mind blown, Seth sat there in silence as he struggled to figure out just what the hell was going on.

 


	50. Chapter 50

Seth continued to stare at his boss in a daze as he patted his shoulder and once again reiterated that if Seth needed to cut back his workload or take some time off to let him know. 

Almost before he knew he was even doing it, Seth stopped him from leaving, "Wait!  I know that the publicity isn't what you want, but I can't sit back and let Patrick walk away from this.  He knew exactly what he was doing all of this time.  I'm not saying he doesn't have some mental issues he needs to work on, but he was absolutely of sound mind when he was beating me down and forcing himself on me and he knew exactly what he was doing when he came to my house!"

Frowning, Mr. Meyers asked, "What are you saying Seth?"

Seth took a deep breath before responding, "I'm saying that I'm not going to let Patrick take a plea deal.  I'm going to make sure that he pays in full for what he's done to me and Dean and my family.  I refuse to live my life in fear of him any more and I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear, but I have to do this for me.  I don't particularly want to go through a long drawn out trial, but I will if that's what I have to do to make sure he's put away and can't hurt anyone else."

His boss sighed, "If that's what you feel you have to do, but I can't say I'm not disappointed.  I told you before that if this situation brings undue stress to our business that you'd have to shoulder the blame.  That statement still stands so I hope you can figure out a way to do this without taking this place down with you.  I wish you luck Seth; I really do.  We had no idea what type of person Patrick truly was and I'm sorry that we all looked the other way when all of this was happening.  We'll try to provide whatever support we can in the meantime, but just heed my warning, alright?"

Seth nodded as his boss turned to leave, "Thank you sir.  Actually, would it be alright if I take Friday off?  I'd like if maybe you could recommend a lawyer outside of my father's to take on my case who I could hopefully meet with that morning."

Seth was relieved when he agreed to do that.  He needed to distance himself from his father and his crazy schemes and this would be the first step towards that plus he could join up with Dean a day early if Finn was cool with taking on one more day of dog sitting duties. 

Grinning down at his phone where Dean had let him know he'd arrived, Seth felt himself calm down.  He could do this if at the end of all of it, it meant he and Dean could finally have some peace.

...

Dean texted Seth when he landed as he made his way to Roman who was waiting for him out front in his rental car.  Hopping in with a grin, Dean gave him a fist bump as Roman handed him a sandwich he'd picked up for him.

"You're a lifesaver Uce!  The peanuts on the flight just wasn't cutting it!" Dean huffed as he began to chow down.

Smirking, Roman pulled out, "I knew your bottomless pit of a stomach couldn't hold out for long!"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, giving him a disgusting view of his chewed up sandwich.

Grimacing, Roman punched his arm before asking, "You ready for this meeting?"

Dean sighed, "Fuck no, but I'll try to behave."

Arriving at the arena, they dropped their bags off before heading to Vince's office, Roman knocking and the pair entering quietly as Hunter opened the door.  Both Vince and Hunter shared a surprised look as Dean took a seat without his usual fanfare and smart remarks.

Nodding at them, Vince got right down to it, "Alright boys, I know that you'd rather be doing anything else but this right now, so I'll be quick.  Dean, can you tell me about what happened this weekend and please, don't leave anything out."

Biting his tongue, Dean launched into the facts, sharing all of the events of Saturday night and the aftermath, surprised when he was met with sympathetic looks from both Vince and Hunter.  He shifted uncomfortably as the silence drew on, relieved when Vince finally began to talk.

"Alright Dean, thanks for the details.  I'm sure you can understand that this continued spotlight on your relationship is a bit of a problem for this company as a whole.  Patrick's statement this morning is not doing any of us any favors..." he said sternly, only to be interrupted by a confused Dean.

"What statement?" he growled, his voice steadying as Roman's hand rested on his shoulder.

"Here," Hunter handed him his phone.  Confused, Dean looked down and then glared in dismay as he read through the pathetic excuse of a article.  Growling again, he handed it to Roman.

Dean glared at both of his bosses, "You're not buying any of this shit are you?"

Hunter was the first to respond as he reassured him, "Of course not Dean.  We are well aware of how much of a asshole this guy is, but you can see why we're concerned.  Here we have one half of what is supposed to be the new tag team champions this weekend involved in a high profile story that paints him in a unflattering light.  We're just looking for a solution to the problem."

"And have you come up with one?" Dean asked tightly.

"We were hoping you would have a suggestion," Vince shared.  "You and your boyfriend did a great job of heading off disaster during that last messy story.  I'm going to be honest here: my first instinct was to throw a swerve in and let the belts stay where they are at, but my son-in-law pointed out that doing that would result in just letting this bully win and I have no intention of doing that.  Besides, Roman has no part in any of this and believe it or not, I do realize that you didn't intend to bring any of this on yourself.  The only thing you are guilty of is pursuing a relationship with the wrong set of circumstances."

Roman winced, knowing the words would set Dean off and he quickly jumped in to head him off, "With all due respect sir, I've had a front row seat to Dean and Seth's relationship and Dean has nothing to feel guilty about.  The two of them are great together and poor Seth had no idea that Patrick was even worse than he thought.  He only wanted to move on with his life, but instead Patrick stepped up his harassment and Saturday was just the culmination of the man's downward spiral."

Dean closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he drew up Seth's image to calm himself.  Opening his eyes, he leaned forward, speaking softly but intently, "I understand that your first priority has to be the company image, but my priority is keeping my boyfriend safe and happy and that is what I have done and what I will continue doing.  I'd hate to see Roman pay for something that's on me, but if you feel that I'm not the ideal candidate for the belts, then do what you have to do.  I know you've wanted to split us up for awhile, so maybe there's another partner out there who would mesh well with Roman."

Roman shook his head in protest, "No, if we can't win them together, then I want no part of them!  Besides, I haven't exactly been sitting on the sidelines for any of this.  I've been right there by both of your sides and I was right there with you when we went after Patrick at that party."

Dean frowned, sending Roman a pleading look, but he shook his head defiantly.  If one of them was going to lose their shot, then they both would be because he wasn't going to abandon his friend for anything.

Before either of them could say anything else, Vince was sharing a nod with Hunter as he shared, "You can relax; both of you.  You're going to get your title shot on Sunday and you will be victorious.  Your fighting spirits and your sense of team loyalty and chemistry in the ring are exactly what we are looking for.  I think I speak for Hunter as well when I say we are proud to have you represent our tag team division.  However, I would like it if some sort of public action or statement is taken beforehand to combat this bastard's words.  Come Sunday, I want all eyes and attention to be on your win and not on this mess.  Understood?"

Both Dean and Roman nodded, sharing a smile as they turned to thank them.  Standing up, they both shook hands with Vince and Hunter before exiting.  The second they were in the hall, Roman was pulling Dean into a hug, "You did great Uce.  Seth would be so proud right now.  Now, what do you say about a quick gym session to work off all that animosity I know you were shoving down."

Dean beamed at him as he pulled back with a grin, "Fuck yes, brother! 

...

Seth's day had gone pretty well after his talk with his boss.  He met with some clients and worked ahead on some case files before taking his lunch and then getting right back to it.

He headed out around 4, determined to head to his parent's house to hash things out once and for all with his father.  Needing some encouragement, he dialed Dean's number, his phone connected to his speaker as he pulled out on the road.

Instantly, he felt himself relax the second Dean's voice came through the line.

_"Hey baby!"_

_"Hi babe.  Do you have time to talk?"_

_"Yeah, Ro and I already hit the gym and grabbed some food.  He's hanging out with Bo and I'm just chilling in our locker room watching tv.  I was hoping you would call when you got out.  How was your day?"_

_"The morning sucked, but then it went okay.  How was your meeting?"_

_"We got reprimanded for causing undue publicity, but Ro kept me calm and in the end, the old man told us we still get our title shot and win.  He just wants us to make some kind of statement or move challenging that bullshit interview."_

_"Fuck, I was wondering if you'd seen it.  I wish you didn't keep getting dragged into this D."_

_"Hey, part of the package deal right now Princess and I don't give a fuck what that bastard has to say.  We'll figure this out, alright?  I take it your boss had something to say too?"_

Seth gave a sigh before answering, " _Yeah, my father has struck again!  Apparently he and the family lawyer met with Patrick, his father and their lawyer about making a plea deal that would end with him in a 2-year treatment program at some mental health facility.  Of course the avoidance of a trial is exactly what Mr. Meyers wants!"_

 _"And I hope you told him that they can all go fuck themselves!"_ Dean prompted.

Seth giggled, _"Well, I didn't exactly say it that way, but yeah, I did."_

_"That's my Princess!"_

_"Fuck, I wish you were here!  I could really use a hug right now."_

_"Me too Seth.  I am so fucking proud of you right now, you have no idea!"_

_"Sounds like I should be proud of you too, what with you controlling your temper and all."_

_"Yeah, well like I said, most of that credit can go to Roman, but partially to you too.  I gritted my teeth and pictured you in front of me and I calmed myself down."_

_"I love you,"_  Seth gasped over the line.

_"Me too.  Are you on the road?"_

_"Yeah, I'm actually headed to my parent's. I just needed to hear your voice before I do this."_

Dean's eyes widened as he sat up, " _Fuck, I wish I could be there for you baby, but you've got this!  He can't control you any longer Princess.  This is your life; our life and we make all of the decisions."_

 _"Yeah, we do,"_ Seth agreed.  _"I want to take this as far as I can.  I want him behind bars so I know he can never hurt us or anyone else for as long as possible.  I hate the idea of testifying in court, but if that's what i have to do to give us a safe life then I will.  He's never going to have a chance to hurt you or our babies again!"_

Dean's heart leapt at his words, _"Or you Seth.  This is your decision to make, but I'm glad you want to do this.  I need to know he can't hurt you anymore too and I promise I will be there every step of the way.  I'll make sure I'm there in court with you no matter what."_

_"Thank you babe, I'm going to need your strength."_

_"You don't need me, you're so much stronger than you give yourself credit for Princess, but I'll still be there."_

_"Ugh, I'm just around the corner.  I really don't want to do this!"_

_"Just go in there, say what you need to say and get out!  Then you give me another call.  I've still got some time before I have to be in the ring so I'm all yours."_

_"Okay,"_  Seth's voice was trembling.   _"Hey, one good thing did come out of my meeting with my boss.  He's feeling guilty for turning a blind eye to Patrick for so long so he encouraged me to take some time for myself.  I told him I didn't need it, but I did ask for Friday off so I could meet with a new lawyer on his recommendation and then I was thinking I could join up with you and Ro?"_

Dean grinned, _"Yeah?  That sounds perfect!  Good job playing on his guilt though; I must be rubbing off on you!"_

_"God forbid!"_

_"Hey!"_

Seth giggled, _"I'm here babe, so I guess I'll talk to you in a bit."_

_"Okay Princess, love you and just remember I'm here rooting for you."  
_

_"I know you are and that means everything D.  You're all the strength I need."_

_"Same here Seth.  Okay, get going!  The sooner you do this, the sooner I can get you off.  You know how I love a good orgasm before I head out!"_

_"Yeah, I'm sure that's what Roman really wants to walk in on!"_

_"Damn, quit turning me on Princess!"_

_"Oh my god Dean!"_

_"What?  Too much?"_

_"Really?"_

_"Quit acting all surprised baby, you knew how depraved I was from the get go!  I can't help it if I get off on making people uncomfortable!"_

Seth laughed at him, _"Yeah, I know exactly who it is I fell in love with and don't worry, no regrets here!  I'm just saying that maybe you should be a bit nicer to Ro.  He's been amazing during all of this!"_

Dean groaned, _"Fine!  Now scoot baby!"_

_"Alright, alright, I'm going!  Oh and babe?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"No touching!  That's all mine to do with what I want when I want!"_

Dean stared at the phone in shock as the dial tone sounded in his ear, __well fuck!

 


	51. Chapter 51

Drawing strength from Dean's words, Seth got out of his car and made his way up to his parent's door, not surprised when his mother met him with a smile, "Seth honey, I'm so glad you came to see us!  We were so worried about you when we saw the news and you didn't return my call!"

Giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, Seth shared, "It's good to see you mom, but that's not why I'm here.  I need to see him, now!"

Frowning, she looked at him closely, "What's wrong baby?"

Seth shook his head, "He's meddled in my life for the last time!"

Before she could protest, Seth was walking into the house where he found his father sipping a glass of wine in front of the television in the sitting room as he watched the news.

Looking up, his father nodded at him, "Son.  I figured I'd be seeing or hearing from you soon.  We've got a lot to take care of.  I'm, uh, glad you're alright."

"Are you?  Or are you just sorry that I've brought undue stress and embarrassment to you and your friends?  Better shove all of this under the rug quickly right?  Don't want a little thing like attempted murder and rape to screw with the family reputation!" Seth snapped at him.

Raising his hands at him placatingly, his father said, "Now son, I know that you've had a stressful few days, but you know that I'm on your side here.  We need to do what's best for you..."

"You mean what's best for you!" Seth cut him off.  "Never mind that I could be dead right now, that my boyfriend and my dogs could be dead, hell that even Randy could be dead!  As long as you, the company and Patrick's family are saved the embarrassment, everything is alright!  Well fuck you; fuck all of you!"

"Enough!" standing up his father made his way over to him, gripping his arm as he shook him.  "Son, it's time you got your head out of your ass and started thinking like a adult instead of thinking with your dick like a teenager!  It's time you got yourself out of this toxic relationship and got back to concentrating on your career.  Ending this thing with Patrick with a calm, peaceful resolution is what's best for everyone involved.  Do you really think you can handle testifying in court?"

Reaching his breaking point, Seth threw his father's arm off of him with a shove, sending him against his armchair, "No, it's time you listen to what I have to say!  I'm not the meek, oblivious child that you think I still am.  I'm a grown man who has been making decisions for myself for a long time now and I don't need you or anyone to speak for me!  I have my own lawyer and we will be deciding how we want to pursue charges against Patrick, but there will be a trial and I will be testifying in it.  Patrick is never going to have a chance to hurt me or anyone I care about again!"

Sighing dramatically, his father stood back in front of him, "Seth, we wouldn't treat you like a child if you didn't insist on acting like one!  It's time to grow up and live in the real world!  This fantasy that you have of everything slotting neatly into place doesn't exist.  You have to do what you have to do to create the type of life you want and sometimes sacrifices have to be made to achieve that goal."

"You're right," Seth continued in a defeated tone.  "Sometimes tough decisions have to be made.  I know what I want my life to be like and in order to do that, I need to get rid of all of the toxic influences around me starting with Patrick and ending with you!  I really thought that maybe somewhere down the line, we could find a way to reconcile; that eventually you'd see how good Dean is for me and you'd open up enough to get to know him, but that's never going to happen, is it?  You don't care about my happiness at all.  Hell, I should have realized that when you took Patrick's side in the first place!  What if I'd wound up dead the first time he tried to kill me?  Would you have felt any remorse at all or would you have stood over my coffin clucking about how foolish I'd been and what a shame it was that the company had to deal with the fallout?"

"Seth!" his mother's voice rang out behind him, making him wince.  "How can you say these things?  You know how much we love you?"

Turning to her, Seth gave her a weak smile, "I know you love me mom and I know you at least can see it; can see that you were wrong and that Dean is what's right for me, but he's never going to.  As long as he's in my life, he's going to try to control it and I'm done.  Somewhere in his black heart, I know he cares, but it's not enough."

Turning back to his father, Seth stated, "Don't try to talk to my boss and find out information, don't expect my co-workers to talk to you either.  Starting today, I will no longer be using your lawyer or the banker or the financial advisor.  I don't want your influence or your money or "your help"; I just want you to leave me alone!  Don't come to the trial, don't come near my house and don't ever bother approaching Dean or any of my friends.  We're done.  As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a father!"

Dropping back into his seat in shock, Seth's father grabbed his chest, clearly trying to earn some sympathy, but Seth wasn't falling for it, "Goodbye."

Stopping to give his mother another hug, Seth whispered, "I'm sorry," before taking his leave.  Striding down to his car, he quickly got in and drove himself around the block, pulling into a empty parking lot before letting himself break down, grabbing for his phone as he dialed the only person who could help him get through this.

_"Princess?  Are you alright?"_

Seth let out a sob, _"It's done; I disowned him."_

_"Fuck, I'm sorry baby, but he deserved it!  I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you're better off without him in your life."_

_"I know, but he's my dad, you know?  He's supposed to be there for me, to take care of me, to keep me safe!"_

_"Yeah, well in the long run, I guess we're not all that different Seth, both of our father's failed Parenthood 101!  I'm so sorry baby!  I wish I was there to hold you."_

_"Me too."_

_"Okay, do you think you can drive?"_

_"Y-y-yeah.  Why?"_

_"Hook your phone up to the speaker and I'll stay with you while you drive home.  Then I'm going to go fight my match and you're going to tell Finn you'll make dinner another night and explain what happened.  Then, you're going to let him order some food and watch my gorgeous body fight.  After, I want you to draw yourself a bath and then call me, alright?"_

Seth giggled,  _"Okay."_

_"Good...now tell me more about the rest of your day."_

By the time Seth pulled up at home, he was happily distracted, frowning as Dean told him he had to go.  

_"Okay, go prove who the best tag team out there is!  Thanks for listening babe, love you."_

_"Anytime Princess and I love you too.  Talk to you soon."_

Taking a deep breath, Seth made his way inside to let Finn know what was going on.


	52. Chapter 52

Dean paced the locker room as Roman tried to calm him down.

"Who the fuck does this guy think he is?  How can he not see what a amazing person his son is?  How could he fucking sit back and watch him get hurt?" Dean continued to work himself into a rage, prompting Roman to pull him down to sit next to him.

"Uce, there's nothing you can do right now but listen to Seth and reassure him," Roman tried to get through to him.  "He just needs to know you're here for him and that you love him."

Dean shook his head, "I should be there with him!"

"You will be after our matches alright?  I'll get you set up with a video call and I'll even go hang with my cousins and give you a little privacy."

Dean sighed, "Fine, but do we really need these matches?  I can beat Cesaro in my sleep and your match with Sheamus is a joke!"

Roman rolled his eyes, "We're heading into a pay per view Uce; of course they'd have us fighting our opponents one-on-one to preview the tag match.  It's common sense."

"Whatever," Dean muttered.  He stood up and continued his pacing, glaring at the door as they came to let Roman know it was time for his match.

Standing, Roman gave him a hug, bumping his forehead with his own, "Stay calm Uce!"

Dean pushed him out of the room as he went back to his mumbling.

...

Seth dragged himself into the house with a sigh, already missing the safety of Dean's voice.  

Finn met him at the door with a grin, "Hey buddy, I know ya wanted ta make dinner, but I figured with it being so late, ya might not feel like it so I ordered us some subs.  You can cater ta me another night."

Seth smiled tentatively back at him, "Thanks Finn, I really appreciate it.  I actually didn't work late.  I paid my father a visit."

Finn winced as he looked at him, "Judging by how wrecked ya look, I take it that it didn't go well?"

Seth gave a hoarse laugh, "Yeah, you could say that."

Nodding to himself, Finn sent him upstairs to change as he got out their sandwiches and chips and pulled out some beers.

By the time Seth came back down, Finn had set them up on the couch in front of the TV, which was playing the RAW opening.

Throwing him a grateful grin, Seth sat down to eat, not really hungry, but forcing himself to take what his friend was offering.

As they got into the show, Seth found Finn pulling him over to him, Seth laying his head on his shoulder.

"Ya know you've got me for whatever ya need right?  Sami and Matt and I love ya man and Dean, well Dean would do anything for ya.  I'm pretty sure Roman's on that list now too.  All I'm trying to say is you're not alone."

Seth let out a sob, burrowing into Finn's shoulder as he tried to speak, "I-I-I know I'm not and I am so grateful for that.  Grateful for all of you.  I have the greatest support system."

Finn nodded, giving him a squeeze, "Ya just let me know if there's anything I can do for ya."

Seth nodded, "I will."

Content to stay where he was, drawing comfort in his friend's arms, the pair cheered on Bailey as she won her match against Charlotte and then Roman who quickly put a beating on Sheamus and a interfering Cesaro, who tried to get away only to be met by Dean, who headed out early for their own match.

As the bell rang and Dean and Tony stepped in the ring, Roman and Sheamus took to the announcer's table to throw shade at one another and hype their upcoming tag match.

Seth giggled at Roman's cockiness before becoming enthralled with the match, his eyes glued to Dean's every move.

...

Dean's blood was pumping as he took his anxiety and anger out on a unsuspecting Cesaro, quickly gaining the upper hand in the match.

Confused by Dean's aggression and his failure to sell Tony's own hits, he took a chance and hissed at him, "Uh Dean, any chance you can back off a bit?  We're supposed to be selling how evenly matched we are."

Dean blinked as he realized how stiff he'd been working, "Sorry," he whispered, whipping Tony across the ring, letting him come back and take him to the ground.

Match back on track, they traded a number of blows before Dean "slipped" on the ropes and allowed Tony to get the drop on him.

As Sheamus came down to celebrate with Cesaro, Roman came up behind them to attack, Dean jumping into the fray as they laid the champs out.

Picking up the tag belts, Dean and Roman shared a look before tossing them onto the laid out tag team and exiting the arena to a deafening roar.

...

Seth frowned as he watched Dean, seeing how his mind clearly wasn't on the match, but something seemed to change as his eyes seemed to clear and the match became a highly competitive one.

Seth jumped up and yelled as Cesaro seemed to be taking charge, but he sat back in relief as momentum once again shifted Dean's way.

He and Finn both booed as Dean fell from the ropes right into Cesaro as he rolled him up for the three count.

Seth frowned as Sheamus came to celebrate and mock Dean, but he laughed as Roman charged down to help Dean lay waste to them.

Seth felt a sense of pride surge through him as he watched them admire the belts before throwing them back at their upcoming opponents.  He couldn't wait to see their hands raised in victory!

...

Despite the loss, Dean was a bit calmer after the match, he and Roman chatting excitedly as they headed back through Gorilla.

He was surprised when Cesaro appeared behind them, drawing him aside.

"Sorry again man," Dean shared before he could speak.

Cesaro waved his apology,  "Forgotten, but listen, I just wanted you to know that there's a lot of us who are really proud of what you're doing.  You and Seth standing up to that asshole is pretty cool.  If you ever need a sparring partner to work off some residual anger, just let me know."

Dean was surprisingly touched by the sentiment [fuck! Seth was making him soft], but he was still a bit suspicious, "Why would you care?"

"I've been there man, watching my boy get roughed up and not being able to do a damn thing about it.  It makes you crazy, but don't let your own need for revenge push Seth away, alright?  I almost lost Sheamy because I couldn't pull my head out of my ass.  I thought I was protecting him, but all I was doing was creating a divide between us," Cesaro warned.

Dean's eyebrows rose, "You and Sheamus?"

Cesaro shrugged, "What can I say?  We hated one another at first sight, but then we worked so well in the ring.  It didn't take long to figure out how well we worked out of it too."

Dean shrugged, "That's cool."

Cesaro frowned as he repeated, "Seriously though, I think you and I are more alike than we think: we're both stubborn and headstrong and we act without thinking.  Sheamus and from what I've seen, Seth, aren't like that.  They hold things in; they're sensitive to things that roll off our backs.  They need us to be there for them, not focused on revenge."

Still a little taken aback, Dean thanked him for the advice, "Who knew there was a teddy bear underneath all that muscle?" he gently ribbed him.

As Cesaro moved down the hall he threw him the finger.  Turning back to a gaping Roman, Dean shrugged, leading them back to quickly change and head to the hotel, he had a boyfriend to call.

...

After helping Finn clean up, Seth said goodnight and went upstairs to jump in the shower before throwing on some boxers and curling up in bed.

He grinned as he grabbed his glasses and picked up his phone, finding a text from Dean.

_On our way back to the hotel now.  Ro is going to set up that video chat thing on his laptop if you're up for it._

Grinning Seth sent back a quick reply.

_Cannot wait!  I'm here all curled up in bed alone wishing your hands were on me._

_Fuck Princess!  Warn a guy next time!  I'm not sure the rental place is going to be too happy about the pop I just sprayed across the dashboard.  Don't think the Angry Samoan next to me is too thrilled either!_

_Aww, I promise to make it up to you...you haven't touched what's mine have you?_

_I heard you earlier baby...all yours to do with what you want._

_Good boy!_

Dean's face heated up at his words, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as Roman stared at him suspiciously.

"I swear to god Uce, if you're having phone sex over there, I will spear you through the window!"

Dean threw him a evil grin, "Not yet, but we're certainly on our way!  My boyfriend is a whole lot freakier than I thought!"

Dean ducked as Roman launched his empty water bottle at him.


	53. Chapter 53

"There, just press this button and it will dial him.  Now I'm going to make myself scarce," Roman stated as he sat the laptop in Dean's lap.  "Enjoy and uh, just let me know when I can come back."

"You mean when I'm decent," Dean chuckled.

"Exactly!" Roman said with a exaggerated shudder.  

"So have you come back when I'm about to cum...got it!" Dean threw him a shit-eating grin.

"God dammit Uce!  You're not going to make it to Sunday if you keep it up.  I'll have to go find myself another unhinged deranged freak to help me take the belts!" Roman tossed one of Dean's own shoes at him.

As he got hit in the arm, Dean threw it right back, completely missing as Roman bent over laughing his ass off, "Laugh it up Big Dog, you know there's no one out there like me!"

Roman continued to laugh, "That's for damn sure!"

Dean gave him the finger, but then got serious as he looked over at him, "Thanks Uce, for keeping me calm earlier and for this.  I needed to see for myself that he's okay."

Roman nodded at him, "Anytime D.  Now go have fun with your boy."

As Roman made his exit, Dean's words followed him out, "I'll give you all the details later."  Dean's evil laughter followed him down the hall as he rolled his eyes.

...

Meanwhile, across the country Seth was fidgeting on their bed, both nervous and excited to see Dean.

At his feet was the package Finn had said had arrived this morning for him.  Seth had felt himself flush when he'd handed it to him, but Finn hadn't picked up on it.

Staring at the opened contents, Seth wondered if he really wanted to try this.  He still wasn't sure what had possessed him to surf the web last week, but once he had seen it, he'd found himself ordering it.

He'd wanted to take another step towards trusting Dean and opening himself up to new possibilities. 

Knowing they'd be parted for a week, Seth had come up with a plan to surprise him, but that had been before Patrick had decided to tear apart his world again.

Now, Seth wasn't sure this was still a good idea, but before he could second guess himself, his laptop was buzzing with a chat invite.

Taking a deep breath, he accepted.

...

Dean lit up as Seth's face filled his screen, "Baby!"

Seth blushed as he gave him one of his shy smiles, "Hey D!"

With a grin of his own, Dean's eyes drank in the image of his boyfriend, his wet hair curling around his cheeks, his flushed skin glistening, clad in just a pair of boxers.  

Seth felt himself shifting as Dean fixed him with his heated stare, "Miss you," fell from his lips as his own eyes trailed Dean's body, wishing he was there and could trail his fingers through his messy chest hair, could kiss all of the new bruises that lined his arms after his match and could give him the hug he was longing to share with him.

"Fuck, I know baby!  I hate this," Dean agreed. "How are you feeling now?"

Seth shrugged, "Still kind of numb, but talking to you and spending some time with Finn helped."

Dean nodded, "Good.  You know you can call me anytime day or night and I'll be here."

"I know, but somehow I don't think your coworkers would be too appreciative in the middle of a match!  Especially Cesaro.  I'm betting he's not too happy with you right now."

"Fuck 'em!  But yeah, guess you caught how distracted I was tonight.  Believe it or not, Tony got me back on track and he even tracked me down after the match.  He wanted to share relationship advice.  Apparently he and Sheamus have been doing the dirty for awhile!"

Seth's wide-eyed disbelief was exactly what Dean was hoping for.  He grinned at him, "Exactly my thoughts!"

"Well..." Seth began.  "Umm, good for them I guess?"

Dean laughed, "Guess so.  He did say he and a lot of the others are proud of how we've handled our situation."

"Our situation...I think I like saying it that way instead of hearing that name," Seth mused.

Dean nodded, "Got it...no more saying that person's name!"

Seth sighed, "Babe, I know you want to know more about tonight, but can we do that tomorrow?  I really don't want to think anymore about it right now."

"Done," Dean immediately agreed.  Voice lowering, he asked, "So...how about you tell me what you have in mind to take care of my little problem.  Or should I say our problem since you are in charge and all?" Dean panned the camera down to the semi-hard on he'd been sporting since the car.

Flushed again, Seth couldn't help but smile, forcing himself not to look away as he confidently answered, "Oh, I have lots of ideas!"

Dean rolled onto his stomach, laying the laptop on the pillows as he propped his cheek on his hand, peering at him, "Oh do tell Princess!"

Knowing it was now or never, Seth took the leap, "Actually, I've got a little surprise for you:  I saw it and it made me think of you and what you like and I just thought maybe we could see what happens."

As Seth began to ramble nervously, Dean was confused, "Shh Princess, slow down and take a deep breath!  Now tell me what's going on.  You know I'm down for anything."

Voice trembling as he felt his skin heat up even further, Seth fought through his embarrassment as he pulled the box into the frame, "I ordered something, something I thought you'd like to see me use."

Dean suddenly sat up in surprise as he realized where Seth was going with this, "Fuck Princess, are you telling me you ordered yourself a toy?"

Looking down, Seth just nodded weakly as he reached inside the box and pulled out the smaller package which held the bright pink vibrating dildo he'd picked out online.

Dean's eyes just about popped out of his head, the image of his shy boyfriend holding such a filthy object already driving him to the edge as he had to close his eyes and get himself under control, "Oh my god Seth, you have no idea what you're doing to me right now!  I didn't think you could surprise me more than you did when you told me to keep my hands to myself, but fuck baby, this is amazing!"

"Really?" Seth's eyes finally moved back up to his, a shy grin straining the corner of his mouth.

Dean just nodded helplessly as he tried to find his words, "Yeah, I mean, of course!  The fact that you took the time to do this; that you even thought about doing this...fuck!"

Seth shrugged, "I've been thinking about what you said about giving things a try and I just was doing some research and I came across it and I just, I don't know, wanted to see your face.  Wanted to know what it would feel like to have you watching me."

"Yeah..." was all Dean could get out as his hand trailed down towards his throbbing dick, looking for some relief.

The image seemed to trigger something in Seth as he found himself suddenly letting go of his anxiety, perhaps secure in Dean's acceptance and clear arousal.  With a evil grin, Seth put a stop to his movements, "No way babe, I already told you that was mine!  There will be no touching until I say so!"

Dean instantly froze, his mind whirling at his aggressive tone...fuck, Seth really was trying to kill him!  Figuring that it would be worth it to go along with him, he let his hand drop back down to his side, waiting for further instructions from his boyfriend.

"Good boy," he said again, once again making Dean's blood heat up.  "Why don't you take those underwear off and show me what's mine, babe?"

Nodding, Dean hurriedly moved to comply, tossing them over the side of the bed haphazardly as he reached back over, moving the laptop to the bottom of the bed, as he sat back up against the headboard again, giving Seth a full view of his body.

Seth licked his lips as he took in Dean's throbbing cock, pre-cum drizzling down both sides and trembling as Dean read his lustful look.

Copying him, Seth moved his own laptop down as he settled back into his array of pillows, suddenly a bit nervous again.  Seeing the anxiety roll back into his eyes, Dean jumped in, getting him back on track, "Want to see you too baby.  Show me what I'm missing!"

Reaching down, Seth slid off his boxers, unveiling his own impressive hard on, making Dean gasp, "Wish I was there baby, want to taste you so bad right now!"

Seth slid his hand down, taking himself in hand as he slid his palm down, "Mmm, me too babe.  Talk to me, tell me what you want me to do!"

Knowing Seth still wasn't completely comfortable in the dominant role, Dean slid back into it with ease as he began to guide him, "Open my present baby, show me what caught my Princess' eye!"

Nodding, Seth picked up the dildo and took it out of its packaging, pushing it towards the camera as it wiggled at Dean, making him laugh as he asked, "Damn baby, did you pick one out in my size?"

Blushing once again, Seth nodded, "Wanted to picture you when I was sliding it in."

"Shit, that's so hot Princess!  Can I please touch myself baby while you get yourself ready for me?  I want to see you; want to see you slide those fingers into that tight ass for me," Dean's voice was pure sex as his hand slid down, resting just over his dick, waiting for permission.

"Not, shit, not as hot as you are D!  Do it, let me see you touch yourself for me, but you don't get to come until I say so!" Seth shared, sternly.

"Not, not until you say so!  Get the lube baby," Dean began to lazily stroke himself, drawing some quiet moans from Seth as he fumbled in his side table for the lube, unwilling to look over, his eyes glued to Dean's every move.

Finally, getting ahold of it, Seth dumped a mess of it in his hands as he reached down, slicking his own cock up before rolling to his back and thrusting his ass at the camera as he spread his cheeks and tentatively drew a finger across his opening, making him gasp as Dean let out his own moan.

"Oh god, what I wouldn't give to be able to drive into that ass right now.  Come on baby, get inside there!" Dean urged.

Seth let out another gasp as his finger broke through his entrance.  Tensing up, Seth had to stop for a minute as Dean once again stepped in to help him relax, "That's it baby, just give it a minute.  Imagine that's me there with you, moving along your walls, thrusting at your prostate, unable and unwilling to wait any longer to have you."

Breathing heavily, Seth closed his eyes, listening to Dean's voice as he felt his body relax, letting him inside further.  Exploring gently, he slowly began to open himself, eventually working in another finger and then another, deliberately brushing his prostate as he shivered, "I can feel you D!  Want your tongue babe, but there's no time for that now, we're saving that for later!"

Caught up in the fantasy, Dean's mouth continued to drop filth as he told Seth all of the things he was going to do to him the second they were alone again.  As Seth drew out of himself and rolled back over onto his back, Dean gifted him with one of his teasing grins, "Gonna make you feel so good Princess!  Get my present ready."

Making sure the toy was well lubed, Seth sent Dean his own grin, "All set D, now what are you going to do with this?"

Laughing, Dean grunted as he fisted himself a bit harder before gasping, "Okay, slowly work it inside baby."

Taking another deep breath, Seth placed the dildo at his rim, cum dripping down onto his hand as his dick pulsed above it.  Slowly, he pushed the tip inside and then painstakingly worked the rest in to Dean's satisfaction, who moved closer to the laptop to get the best look possible, "Yeah, that's it Seth!  All the way in!"

The second he brushed his walls, Seth stopped, letting his body adjust to the strange intrusion, not sure if he was enjoying it or not. 

Dean on the other hand, was clearly taking pleasure in the sight, "So hot...so fucking amazing you are Princess...you have no idea...Jesus Christ!"

Shuddering at the lust dripping in his words, Seth hesitantly drew the dildo back out and pushed back in, surprised at the tingling in his body as it brushed against his walls. 

Dean slyly grinned as he watched the change in Seth's expression, clearly his own lust and pleasure was starting to push away any anxiety that he may have had about the whole idea.  As he watched his boyfriend confidently begin to push and pull in and out with the toy while he began to get himself off with the other, he ordered, "Now turn on the vibrator baby!  I want to see that whole body shake just for me!"

Lost in the sensations, it took a second for the command to register with Seth, but when it did, he scrambled to let go of his cock and push the button, letting out a shriek as it came on, his body jerking in pleasure, making Dean let out a moan, "Yeah, that's what I want to see!"

Forcing his eyes open, Seth stared down at Dean, "Come on babe, I want you to cum with me!"

Nodding, Dean went back to stroking himself, trying to match his strokes with Seth's own as Seth continued to move the dildo around, hitting his prostate with every stroke.  Seth gasped as Dean suddenly began to work his own fingers inside himself, immediately hitting his own pleasure center, causing his body to shake.

Sharing a intense look, the pair sped up their strokes as Seth shouted, "You can let go now babe!  I want you to come for me!"

His words combined with his fingers, tripped Dean over as he let go, splattering the bed and his hand with his cum as he sat up, not wanting to miss a second of Seth's own orgasm, "Alright baby, take it out!"

Confused, Seth obeyed as he pulled the dildo out, looking to him for further instructions.  With a grin, Dean said, "Turn it on and put it against your cock."

Eyes wide, Seth did as he asked, almost immediately coming with a shout as it vibrated through him setting off his climax.  Both soaked in cum, they began to chuckle helplessly as they collapsed onto their backs.

"Oh my god baby, you really are trying to kill me!" Dean shared.

Seth giggled, "Nah, I love your dick too much for that!"

Dean huffed in mock anger, "I knew that's all you wanted me for!"

Seth giggled, "Maybe, just maybe I might love you for more than that."

Dean laughed, "Good to hear!  I might, just might, love you too."

"Fuck!  Ro's going to kill me if I don't clean this up before he gets back and I'm betting you need to take a shower.  You've got another early day ahead of you so I won't keep you up too long," Dean frowned.

Seth sighed, "Yeah, but I don't want to let you go."

"I know," Dean agreed.  "Maybe we can do this tomorrow night again?  I'll text you in the morning and you should call me on your break, alright?"

"Okay," Seth said.  "Go get yourself cleaned up.  Thanks for this babe, you really helped me get my mind off of things."

"I'm glad," Dean shared.  "Promise me you'll continue to stay safe and that you'll let me know if you need anything, absolutely anything, okay?"

"I promise.  Love you D!"

"Love you Seth, thanks for my present!"

Dean's laughter was the last thing Seth heard as he signed off, blushing once again.

 

 

 

 


	54. Chapter 54

Seth sighed as his alarm went off.  After talking to Dean, he'd passed out and had been sleeping deeply, all of his uncertain thoughts stamped out after his intense orgasm. 

Now, forced to face another work day, all of his concerns came rushing back as he thought about continuing to have to deal with not only the Patrick situation, but his father's role in all of it and how it was affecting his work place.  Although his boss had been surprisingly cool with all of it so far, he knew that he was still walking a fine line.

Whining a bit to himself, he made himself rise and begin his morning routine before heading downstairs to grab some sort of sustenance to begin his day.  Passing the dogs at the bottom of the stairs, it was clear they'd already been walked and fed and Seth told himself again that he needed to do something to show his appreciation to Finn.

Seth's mouth watered as he began to smell what he knew was Finn's favorite Irish breakfast: mixing up various types of meat with some eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms and a slab of butter. 

Although it was a bit heavy for his own tastes, he had been treated to the concoction many times during his stay with Finn and Sami after he'd been released from the hospital and was hiding out from Patrick.  Knowing he'd probably regret eating that much so early later, he knew he wouldn't be able to resist as he headed towards the kitchen.

Sure enough, Finn was moving around setting up plates for them as he chatted with someone on the phone.  Seeing him, a teasing grin lit up his face, telling whoever was on the other line that he needed to go and would talk to them later.

The second he hung up, Finn was throwing him a exaggerated wink, "Here's some protein for ya before ya head ta work; I figured you'd need it after your rough workout last night."

Seth stared at him in confusion, "Huh?"

Finn beamed at him, "Even with the tv on downstairs, I could still hear ya and Dean up there.  Sounded like ya both were having a great time," Finn leaned over the table, giving him a little nudge, making him blush.

"Sorry, I kind of forgot you were down there," Seth said, flushing even more as he thought about his chat with Dean.  "We kind of got caught up in each other."

Finn laughed, "It's all good.  It did make me realize just how long it's been since I've gotten any though.  I think I'm gonna have to have a bar night with Matt and see if we can find some chicks."

"What about Bayley?" Seth asked as he sat down, grabbing the plate Finn had made for him and chowing down.

Finn shrugged, "We've been texting back and forth, but I'm not sure she's looking for anything more than another friend.  Plus, who knows when we'll see one another again!"

Seth raised his eyebrows at him, "But you want to?"

Finn shrugged, a little blush staining his own cheeks, "Well yeah, but I don't want to get my hopes up, ya know?"

Seth nodded, "Of course I do, but look at Dean and I: I didn't think there was any chance that we could work out and look at us now.  We're still finding our balance, but so far it's working."

Finn shrugged, "True, but I just don't know."

Seth smiled at him, reaching out to give him a pat on the shoulder, "Just think about it.  If you really want it then it'll be worth the effort.  Maybe you should have this conversation with her so you both know where you stand."

"Maybe," Finn whispered.

Sensing that he needed a change of subject, Seth asked him what he wanted for dinner, promising that this time he'd be home right after work and would make whatever he wanted.  Throwing Seth a grateful glance, they came up with a menu and Seth suggested a video game night, which Finn seized upon right away.

Feeling good, Seth bounced back upstairs and finished getting ready before shooting Dean a quick text.

_Morning D!  Thanks again for last night: it was just what I needed.  Enjoy your day and I'll call you at lunch :)_

Stepping downstairs to spend a few minutes with the dogs, Seth said goodbye to Finn and set off.  By the time he arrived at work and parked, he'd received his own message from Dean.

_Can't wait Princess!  Last night was what I needed too.  Love you baby._

Seth quickly sent back his own sentiment of love before heading in to his office.

...

Dean had passed out right after talking to Seth as well, but he'd been rudely woken up by Roman's very loud return, his friend clearly having over imbibed on his cousin's alcohol stash.

As he thrashed around the room, Dean turned on the side table light as he threw a pillow over his head yelling, "Go the fuck to sleep Ro!"

Jumping at his friend's voice, Ro turned to him excitedly, "Uce, you're awake!"

Tilting the pillow up so he could glare at him, Dean asked incredulously, "How could I not be?  It sounds like a herd of elephants decided to make our room their home.  Seriously man, I was finally getting some real sleep and you had to go interrupting it!"

Throwing himself on the end of Dean's bed, Roman bounced around, making Dean roll his eyes, "How's Seth?"

Dean groaned, "Uce, if you don't finish getting ready to go to bed and do just that, I'm going to give you a very detailed, very graphic tale of just what our video call entailed!"

Roman groaned, his nose wrinkling up, "Uce, I already told you about that!"

Dean kicked at him, "Exactly, so I'm going to count to ten and your ass better be in the bathroom!"

Glaring at him, Roman sulkily stomped his way to the bathroom and did what he needed to do before exiting into the room and getting down to his boxers before sliding into his bed, moving his pillows around angrily.

A bit more awake now, Dean couldn't help but grin at his actions, gently teasing him, "You okay over there Ro?"

"No!" Roman hissed.  "My asshole best friend is killing my buzz!"

Dean laughed at him, "Yeah, well that's payback for waking me up!"

Roman rolled over to his other side, showing Dean his back.  Dean smirked at his childish actions, but decided his own sleep was worth more than continuing to annoy him so he let himself turn the light off and he settled back down.

After a few moments of silence, Roman's still abnormally loud voice rang out once again, "But seriously bro, how's Seth?"

Sighing, Dean sat back up against the headboard, facing the fact that until Roman passed out, he would get no peace, "He's as well as can be expected Uce.  This thing with his father really shook him up, but I think I did a good job of getting his mind off things at least for a bit."

"You're really good for each other D," Roman's voice suddenly softened.

Dean grinned in the dark, "Thanks Ro, that really means a lot coming from you," he shared, suddenly unable to resist jabbing him a bit as he continued, "We're definitely good for one another, I mean the fact that we can get one another off that quick without being able to touch says it all doesn't it?"

"Uce!" Roman hissed at him, tossing one of his pillows at him, Dean tossing it right back at him as his laughter filled up the room, "Sorry Uce, you know I can't resist!  But seriously man, I'm glad that you see what I see: Seth and I work, we really do."

Roman murmured his agreement, settling back down under the covers, "I'm glad you're happy D, that's what I want for you."

Dean was quiet for a moment, composing his thoughts before he replied, "You showed me what happiness and love and all that mushy stuff could be Ro.  I really mean it when I say you're my best friend; my brother."

"Me too Uce!" Roman's words hung in the air as they both began to drift off, content that for the first time in a long time, everything was going well for both of them.

...

Seth and Dean had a quick chat at lunch, but Dean had to go make some autograph appearances and Seth had decided to continue to work through lunch so he could get out on time and throw together his dinner for Finn.

Before long, he was happily shoving his files back in his briefcase and making his leave.  Stopping to chat with some of his coworkers and checking in with his boss before heading out and to the grocery store, picking up what he needed for their ribs dinner. 

Back home, he gratefully threw on some shorts and a t-shirt before hitting the back yard and popping them on the grill while Finn played catch with the dogs, Blue having quickly taken to him.

After helping with side dishes, Seth set up the outside table and the pair stretched out and ate, enjoying the late spring air as they chatted and talked over some ideas for the gym before cleaning up and heading inside for a gaming tournament that lasted way later than Seth should have let it, but he was having way too good of a time to stop.

Finally admitting defeat, he said goodnight and headed upstairs, quickly putting in a quick call to Dean who sounded as exhausted as he did.  Neither up for anything else, they shared their love and promised to set aside more time for one another the following night.

...

Wednesday began much like the day before with Finn making breakfast and Seth texting with Dean before heading into the office.  He had a early meeting with his boss and then he met with a couple of his own clients before getting started on some more case files.

He was so caught up in it that he didn't even hesitate to open the door when the knock came, not bothering to see who it was before he let them in.  His blood froze when the voice suddenly addressed, "You look good sweetheart."

Trembling, Seth looked up at Patrick who was leaning in his doorway as if he owned the place and had every right to be there.  Reaching for his phone, Seth warned him, "I'm calling the police Patrick; get out of my office!"

Patrick just grinned at him, standing there until another shorter male joined him, a lawyer Seth recognized from Patrick's father's stable of them.  Seth's heart sank as suddenly his own father and their family lawyer was walking in behind them with Patrick's father.

Striding over to his desk, Patrick's lawyer asked for a few minutes of Seth's time.  Deciding he'd rather just get this over, Seth agreed, but only if his own lawyer could join them. 

Excusing himself for a moment, Seth went out to his secretary and had her call his boss for him.  Explaining the situation to Mr. Meyers, Seth was pleased when he promised to be down in a few with the lawyer he had been planning to set Seth up with.

Trying to control his breathing, Seth told himself that he had all of the control in this situation and the ball was in his court.  Closing his eyes and picturing Dean in his head, Seth drew the strength he needed as his boss joined him, introducing him to the lawyer he clearly trusted to handle things for him.

Quickly explaining the situation, the trio entered Seth's office, Seth letting his lawyer take the lead as he began to hash things out with Patrick's lawyer.

Stepping to the side, Seth moved over against his father's side, "I will never forgive you for this, you know?  As far as I'm concerned, I have no father to speak of.  This is none of your damn business and you and him," Seth pointed at his lawyer, "You can leave here.  You have no say here and I already told you that I want no part of anyone you are involved with."

Turning to Mr. Meyers, Seth shared, "Sir, I know that you and my father have a long-term friendship, but I'm asking that he not be allowed anywhere near my office at this point.  I want him gone now and I want him to stay gone.  Actually, while we're at it, I'd like Patrick's father gone as well.  This case is between Patrick and I: no one else!"

With a sigh, his boss nodded, clearly distressed, but agreeing as he called security to come escort his friends and the lawyer out.

As Seth's father left the room, he leaned over hissing in Seth's ear, "This isn't over son, not by a long shot!"

Feeling a bit less anxious now that it was just the five of them, Seth moved forward, interjecting himself in the conversation, cutting short any talk about plea deals or reduced sentences, "I am taking this to trial and I am going to make sure that Patrick pays for all of the hurt he has caused everyone in my life so your pleas are falling on deaf ears.  Patrick can whine and give all of the pathetic statements he wants.  I have numerous witness testimonies to his history of violence as well as medical reports and thanks to his own best friend, there's taped audio proof of his latest reign of terror.  I'll see you in court; you can leave!" Seth dismissed them.

As his lawyer began to protest, Seth's own cut him off, telling him that he would have plenty of time to state his case during the trial. 

The whole time the exchange was going on, Patrick had stayed silent, his eyes staring Seth down, making his skin crawl.  Now as his lawyer began to drag him out, he leaned into Seth's space, leaving him with one last set of chilling words, "You may think you've won this round sweetheart, but I told you once before that no one makes a fool of me!  Everyone eventually gets what they deserve and you and that pathetic boyfriend of yours will pay!"

The second he was gone, Seth began to shake, another panic attack coming on.  As his boss moved to his side, he helped Seth sit down, asking what he could do to help as Seth's lawyer grabbed him some water.

Grabbing his phone, Seth stuttered, "C-c-call Dean, please!"

Nodding, his boss looked through his numbers, pulling up Dean's contact info and dialing.  As the phone rang with no answer, Seth began to shake harder.

Looking at his phone again, his boss saw Finn's number at the top of his contacts and knowing their connection, he quickly called him instead, immediately getting Finn on the line.

_"Hallo, what's up Seth?"_

_"Finn? This is Seth's boss.  We've had a bit of a situation here and Seth seems to be having a panic attack.  He wanted me to call his boyfriend, but there was no answer.  I was hoping maybe you could help."_

_"Shit!  Alright, can you put me on the speaker?"_

Mr. Meyers quickly complied, Finn's drawl filling the office as Seth's deep breaths rumbled through the line at him.

_"Hey Seth, what's going on buddy?  Can ya breathe with me?  In and out, just close your eyes and picture your safe place."_

Shuddering, Seth tried to do just that, continuing to use his image of being in Dean's arms to calm himself, but his entire body was still on edge.  After another few scary moments as he struggled for breath, he finally found himself able to concentrate on Finn and he slowly began to breathe with him.

By the time he'd finally come to himself, he opened his eyes and found both his boss and his lawyer staring at him in horror.  Embarrassed, Seth hung his head as he addressed Finn, _"Thanks Finn, but I think I'm okay now.  I umm, guess I'll see you later.  Thanks again."_

_"Don't worry about it man.  Ya know I'm here for ya any time ya need me."_

Seth nodded even though he couldn't see him, _"I know."_

Now forced to face his boss, Seth let his eyes rise to his shyly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to lose it like that!"

Shaking his head, Mr. Meyers lay his hand on his shoulders, "Nonsense Seth, I'm sorry that they were able to force their way in like that.  I promised you a safe working environment and the first opportunity at doing that we failed.  I promise that we will try harder in the future.  I'm proud of the way you handled yourself today Seth.  I've always wondered if you had enough steel in there to be the type of lawyer this place needs, but you more than proved yourself today.  Now, I was thinking that maybe I can do something for you to make up for all of this..."

Seth shook his head in disbelief as he listened to his boss' words.  This was definitely not what he'd expected when he'd started off this day!

...

Dean frowned as he exited his latest meeting with Hunter and Vince, this time along with not only Roman, but Cesaro and Sheamus as well as they discussed Sunday's match.  He had heard his phone go off, but when he'd made a move to reach it, Roman had glared and he'd settled back with a glare.

Seeing that it was indeed Seth who had called him, Dean quickly dialed back, continuing to frown as it rang with no answer.  Leaving a quick message to call him back, Dean glared over at Roman, "Now he's not answering Uce, what if it was important?"

Roman laughed, "Then he'll call you back D!  The last thing we want to do is rock the boat man.  In just a few days, we're finally going to have what we've been building to for years, I just want to make sure that we get to enjoy it!"

Nodding sulkily, Dean fist bumped him as they headed back into the arena where they were making a quick house show appearance.  Everything moving fast, Dean didn't even notice that Seth hadn't called him back until they'd finished their match.  Glaring down at his phone, Dean tried calling him again, but there was still no answer.

Beginning to get worried, he dialed Finn's number instead and felt even worse when all it did was ring as well.  In the midst of his panic, he hadn't realized that Roman was still down the hall from him, talking on his own phone.

As Dean headed back over to him, Roman quickly said goodbye to whoever was on the phone and turned to him expectantly, "What's up Uce?"

"Seth still isn't answering and neither is Finn; something is not right!  Who were you talking to?"

Roman's eyes drifted away from him as he said, "Just a old friend wanting to get together.  Listen, I'm sure Seth is fine and he and Finn just decided to go out and do something after work and they either can't use their phones or they're dead.  Maybe they're at the movies."

Dean shook his head, "Seth would have told me.  We always tell one another where we're going to be, especially now."

Roman threw a arm around him, "Come on man, let's go change and get out of here.  I'm sure by the time we get back to the hotel, Seth will have called you."

...

Leaning against Finn, Seth mumbled into his chest, "Are you sure this was a good idea?  I mean isn't it a little pathetic?"

Finn laughed at him, "Really?  Are ya telling me that this isn't exactly what ya needed ta feel better?  Besides, this gives me a chance to work on my own issues."

Seth brightened as he pulled back to look at him, "Really?  Does that mean you're going to take my advice?"

Finn threw him a grin, "Maybe, now come on, I think we've given them enough time."

Despite his own anxiety about all of this, Seth's face lit up as Finn led him out into the hall.

...

Dean slammed into the hotel room, launching his bag at one of the beds and throwing himself down on it, clearly distressed as he anxiously tapped his collar bone and chomped on his gum nervously.

Watching him, Roman began to feel bad, he hated seeing Dean like this and maybe there was something he could do about it....

Before he had a chance, a knock rang out at the door, making Dean jump and Roman grin.  Guess he didn't need to do anything after all.

Pretending to lean over and dig for something in his own bag, Roman threw over his shoulder, "D, can you get that?"

Glaring at him, Dean stood up and stomped over to the door, throwing it open with a glare and a "What the hell do you want?"

"Just you D, just you!" Dean stared in disbelief as his boyfriend launched himself into his arms, clinging to him desperately.  Looking at Finn over his head, Dean frowned as he read the concern in his face.

Pulling back to look down at Seth, Dean could see how exhausted and pained he also looked, but deciding that everything else could wait, Dean drew him back into his arms, wrapping him up tightly as he reassured him, "I'm here baby, I'm here!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	55. Chapter 55

"Well boys, I'm going to get out of your way.  I was thinking we could do a late lunch tomorrow?" Roman said as he watched Seth clinging to Dean.

Dean stared over at him puzzled, "Where are you going to go Uce?"

"I'm staying with Finn.  I already booked him a room down the hall and we're keeping the dogs with us tonight," Roman explained.

Dean's eyes widened, "Oh, you brought the dogs?"

Finn nodded, "Ya, it was kind of a last minute decision to make the trip and since I was already going to watch them for ya anyways, I figured I'd still keep them for the weekend or at least for tonight."

"Thanks man," Dean said nodding at him and fist bumping Roman as he headed out. 

Raising his head from Dean's chest, Seth gave them a sheepish smile, "Yeah Finn, thanks again for doing this.  You were right: this is where I needed to be," Seth giggled as Dean's arms squeezed him tighter.  "And thanks Ro for all the help yet again.  I'm not sure what we'd do without you!"

"My pleasure Uce," Roman smiled at both of them as he and Finn ducked out.

Left alone, Seth settled back against Dean's chest, "Missed you," he mumbled.

Dean rubbed his back, "Missed you too baby, but now you need to tell me what's going on because I'm imagining all types of worst-case scenarios!"

Seth sighed as he pulled back to look at him, "Do you think we can do this in the bath?  I really just need to be close to you right now."

"Of course baby," Dean stepped back, grabbing his hand and leading him along to the bathroom where he leaned over and got the water running.  Frowning, he turned to him, "I don't think I have any bubble bath though."

Seth's face lit up briefly as he grinned at him, "I do, it's in the bag that Finn threw by the door."

Leaning forward, Dean gave him a brief kiss, urging him over to the side of the tub and having him sit down as he pointed at him, "You stay right there!"

Nodding, Seth settled down, turning to watch the water as Dean hurried out into the room and to Seth's bag, digging out the bottle and smiling when he came across one of Seth's many powder puffs. 

Heading back in with the items, he dumped some of the bubble bath in and then pulled Seth back up to his feet, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over his head and doing the same with his own. 

Stepping back to draw his pants and underwear down, he looked back up to find Seth already nude and waiting for him, his eyes glittering with unshed tears as he looked at him, making Dean's heart ache.  He wasn't sure what the hell had happened, but it wasn't good.

Turning off the water, Dean stepped in the tub, reaching out his hand to Seth and helping him make his way in.

After settling down in the steaming water, Dean's arms drew him back to his chest.

Dean decided not to push him, letting Seth relax for a bit and gather his thoughts.

Dean's thoughts were interrupted as Seth's lips graced his chest and then he began to talk, "They ambushed me at my office this morning."

"Who is they?" Dean asked.

"Patrick, his father and their lawyer," Seth murmured.  "And let's not forget the man who used to be my father and his lawyer!" Seth hid his face in Dean's shoulder as he felt him tense up.

"How the fuck were they allowed to get to your office?" Dean hissed, accidentally squeezing Seth painfully, who jumped.  Dean loosened his hold as he apologized, "Sorry baby, I'm just furious that they just waltzed on by security.  They fucking let the man who just tried to kill you in without a second thought?"

Seth sighed, "I'm not sure where the breakdown happened, but Mr. Meyers was furious as well.  They tried to push their way in the office and at that point, I just wanted to get it over with so I let them come in and I went out in the hall and called my boss and he brought over his suggestion for my lawyer."

Dean rubbed his shoulders soothingly, "I'm glad you at least had a couple of people who had your back in the room, but that is still unacceptable!  You shouldn't have had to see that bastard until the trial!"

Seth shrugged, "At least now I've made my stance clear.  I had Mr. Meyers call security and throw out Patrick's father, my own and his lawyer.  Then I made it clear to both my lawyer and Patrick's that there will be no plea deals and that I intend to take the charges all the way until Patrick ends up where he belongs."

"Good," Dean tilted his head up for a kiss.  "I'm sorry you had to go through that alone; I should have been there!"

"We can't always be together Dean.  At some point I was going to have to face him on my own, I just wish I hadn't have fallen apart afterwards," Seth let out another sigh.

Dean's eyes widened, "You called me.  I was in a meeting and Roman made me not answer it!"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, I started having a panic attack and I begged my boss to call you.  When you didn't answer, he took it upon himself to call Finn who helped talk me down.  It was so embarrassing!"

"Hey!" Dean tipped his head back up at him.  "You stood up to the man who raped and abused you and just days ago held a gun to your face and threatened everyone you love, I would be worried if you hadn't fallen apart after he left!  I'm confused though, how did you end up from there to here?"

Seth felt a grin tugging at his mouth as Dean reassured him, "Thank you," he said brushing his lips across Dean's collar bone.  "My boss was really apologetic about the security breach and he's the one who suggested I take a few days off.  He asked me to do some work from home and to sit in on a couple of conference calls, but he thought I needed some time to unwind from all of the stress."

Dean nodded, "I'm finally starting to like this guy more and more!"

Seth laughed, "Yeah, well my plan was to go home and spend some time with our babies and let Finn go enjoy a couple of days before I left to come to you, but as you can see, Finn had a much better idea."

Leaning down for another kiss, Dean agreed, "Much!  It would have killed me to find out what happened and not be by your side.  I'm so glad you came to me.  Hopefully I can help get your mind off of everything," Dean winked at him, making Seth giggle.

"You already have babe.  Just seeing you made my head quiet down.  I didn't want to come; I didn't like the idea of being so pathetic that I couldn't go a few days without you, but Finn kept telling me this was what I needed and he was right.  I would have been miserable until I was in your arms," Seth admitted.

"Ditto!" Dean said pulling him up and around so he was straddling his lap.  "This right here is where you always belong: remember that!  When I'm upset and angry and tired and even when I'm happy or excited, I want to be with you; want to share those things with you.  We love each other Seth, there's no reason to ever be embarrassed by how much we need one another."

Seth nodded, a tiny voice emitting up to Dean, "I know you're right, but I just don't like feeling so out of control of my life."

"I know Princess, but sometimes you have to reach out, alright?" Dean grinned at him.  "Do you know how proud I am of you?  You've taken back your life from that bastard.  You're doing amazing work at your job and you're in a relationship that seems to be working pretty well, right?  We've got two amazing babies to spoil and love and countless supportive friends and you're getting more confident with yourself."

Seth nodded, "You're right and just about all of those things are due to you.  Have I told you lately just how much I love you?"

Dean quirked a grin at him, "Yeah, but feel free to keep repeating it!  Honestly baby, I haven't done anything, but thanks."

Seth nudged him, "You encourage me and you believe in me; that's everything to me."

"Likewise!" Dean shared, reaching up to adjust Seth's body again, bringing their cocks in direct contact as he watched Seth's eyes dilate in pleasure.  "Yeah, right there Princess!  How about we forget about everything else for awhile and just enjoy the fact that we're together earlier than we thought we'd be."

Sliding his arms around Dean's neck, Seth whispered, "Best thing I've heard all day!" as he attached his lips to his, sharing a desperate kiss that told of just how much they'd missed one another.

It didn't take much to bring one another off, Dean reaching down to grasp both of their dicks and stroking them together, easing their pent-up tension quickly before rising and toweling them off and then carrying Seth out to the bed and depositing him there, "Now, I'm going to go let the water out of the tub and then I'm going to order us some food.  We're going to find the dumbest thing on tv we can watch until it gets here and then I'm going to work out any residual stress you have left with a massage before I fuck you through the bed!"

Seth giggled as Dean exaggeratedly threw his arms around, "Aye, aye captain!" Seth said as he saluted him.

As Dean moved away, he looked back to throw him a wink, "I like it!  You can keep calling me that."

Seth laughed at him, "Umm, yeah, no!"

Dean glared at him as he disappeared back into the bathroom, leaving Seth to lay there in contemplation, his mind whirling through all of the events of the day.  It had truly been a roller coaster of a ride, but now he was where he belonged with who he belonged with.  He never felt safer than when he was with Dean.

...

"Yeah, right there. Damn, that feels so good!" Seth moaned as Dean worked his hands deep into his shoulder tissue.  After some incredibly delicious burgers as they watched some B-movie spider horror flick that Dean had found, Dean had stayed true to his promise, turning Seth onto his back and straddling him as he worked his way down his body and back up.

"Yeah?  Well, there's more where that came from," Dean teased.

Giving a little push backwards, Seth rolled himself around, his dick pointing straight up at Dean, who laughed at him.  Poking him, Seth whined, "Stop making fun of me and get to the fucking me through the bed part!"

Letting himself fall down on top of him, causing Seth to grunt at the extra weight, Dean grinned, "Okay," he said as his cock brushed against Seth's opening.  "No prep?" he asked.

Seth groaned, "Don't care, just get in me!"

Shrugging, Dean did just that, working his way in slowly to keep from hurting him too much, his pre-cum helping to ease some of the burn.  They both moaned as he bottomed out, Seth reaching up to keep him still as he adjusted to the feeling.

Wiggling a little, Seth grinned as Dean let out a groan, "Fuck baby, warn a guy!"

Laughing, Seth looked up at him pleadingly, "Move!"

"Thank fuck," Dean said as he launched himself into a hardcore thrust, instantly hitting Seth's prostate making him jump in appreciation.  As he began to drive in and out of him, filth continued to fall from his lips, sending Seth's head spinning once again, "Fuck Princess, you have no idea how hot you were the other night, taking all of that toy for me so beautifully!  Fucking hottest thing I've ever seen!  I can't wait to be the one thrusting it inside of you, taking you right to the edge before I let you cum.  Do you think you can do that for me?  Do you think you can hold back long enough to let me play with you?"

"Mmm," Seth moaned helplessly, thrusting up at him, words failing him.

Dean grinned as he worked him over, the headboard pounding the wall behind them, "That's what I want to hear!"

Reaching down, Dean drew Seth up, pulling his hands up to join with his own on the headboard as he shifted his angle to hit his prostate directly with every move, "That's it, right there Princess!  Gonna make you come so hard, you'll be seeing stars; you won't be able to think about anything else, but this moment right here."

"Yes," Seth gasped.  "Do it babe!  Want you to fill me up."

Unable to resist any longer, Dean moved forward and took his lips in a desperate kiss, making out through their explosive climaxes.  The second Dean's hand touched Seth's dick, he exploded, his body continuing to shake with aftershocks as Dean yelled, splattering his insides with his own fiery orgasm.

Their hands still joined above them, Dean slumped against him, pressing up against him from head to toe in satisfaction as they both began to laugh.

"W-w-w-was that e-e-e-nough of a distraction?" Dean managed to get out.

"Fuck!" Seth answered, "Do you really have to ask?"

Dean crowed in satisfaction as he rolled to the side, bringing Seth down with him, letting him curl around him, their sweaty bodies clinging to one another.

As they basked in the afterglow, Dean felt himself beginning to doze off, but his eyes snapped back open when Seth's voice rang out as he snuggled up tighter against him, "Mmm, let me sleep for a bit and then we can hit round two.  The dildo's in my bag."

"Fuck Princess!" was all he could manage before letting himself drop out against him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	56. Chapter 56

The pair ended up falling asleep before any round two could materialize. Neither of them had been sleeping well without the other and so they slept deeply not waking up until well into the morning.

Dean was surprisingly the first to rise, sneaking out of the bed quietly to use the bathroom before making his way over to Seth's bag and digging around until he found what he was looking for. 

Grinning evilly to himself, he returned to the bed, smoothly sliding back in next to Seth as he slowly inched the covers and comforter down to the end of the bed so he could have the access to and view of Seth's nude form that he was looking for.

Soaking it in for a minute, he leapt into action as he saw Seth shiver, knowing that if he waited Seth would wake up and he wouldn't be able to surprise him the way he intended to.

With a grin, he grabbed the pink dildo he'd retrieved from Seth's luggage and grabbed the lube they'd left laying out last night, coating it and his hands quickly before moving down and inching Seth's legs apart as slowly as he could to not disturb him.

Waiting a moment, he was satisfied that Seth was still asleep.  Beginning to hum to himself, he moved the toy down to Seth's entrance as he leaned down and licked a stripe up Seth's cock, making him jerk and give a tired moan as he attempted to roll over and continue to sleep.

Dean's grip on his legs stopped him and any more sleep time was completely forgotten as Dean's mouth closed around him, engulfing his entire cock in one gulp as he pressed the dildo in past his hole. 

Eyes flying open as his body jerked in pleasure, Seth moaned, "Fuck D, good morning to you too!"

Humming in acknowledgement, Dean set a furious rhythm as he bobbed up and down on his dick matching the push and pull of the dildo in and out of his ass. 

Pulling back, he flipped the switch on the toy, drawing a scream from Seth as Dean continued to drive it in and out of him, the dual sensations too much for him.

Dean watched his face, enthralled with the various reactions he was getting from him.  He'd enjoyed watching Seth playing with the toy, but this was so much better!

Seth squirmed as he looked up at him pleading, "Please babe, want to come with you inside of me!"

Dean grinned, "Oh don't worry baby, you will, but first I want to see you fall apart for me the way you did the other night.  Can you do that for me?"

Seth nodded, his skin flushed once again as he began to move back towards Dean's hand, taking the toy in further.

Seth shuddered as Dean leaned over whispering in his ear, "That's it Princess!  You look so damn hot taking everything I have to give you."

"So much better having your hands touching me!" he moaned.  "I'm right there D."

"Come for me baby," Dean commanded, staring in awe as Seth broke apart in his arms, his cum spattering Dean's arm.

After drawing the dildo out, he leaned down, Dean's lips lappingup every drop and then cleaning up Seth's cock and stomach, drawing small whines out of him.

Afterwards, Dean lay his head on Seth's stomach, nuzzling into him as Seth began to pat his head.

"Thank you babe, that was amazing!" he shared.

Dean kissed his stomach, "Thank you for letting me do this.  I know this isn't really your thing..."

Seth reached down and clamped his hand over his mouth, "Hey, I enjoyed it; both the other night and now."

Dean raised his head, peering at him, ""Yeah?"

Seth nodded, his cheeks tinged red, "I really did."

Dean grinned at him, "I'm loving this side of you Princess!"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, taking him by surprise as he flipped them, "I know I said I wanted you to take me, but now I'm thinking I want to have you."

Dean was ready to give himself up when the pounding at the door started, "Lunch time boys!" came Roman's booming voice, making them both groan in frustration.

"Go away!" Dean shouted back.

"Not gonna happen D!" Roman had no intention of leaving.

"Fuck!" Dean sighed as he pushed Seth up.  "We'll meet you in the lobby Uce in 15."

Roman and Finn's grumbling could be heard from the other side of the door.

"15 or we'll come up and drag you out!" Roman warned.

As they finally left, Dean stood as he promised Seth, "We will definitely be picking this up later!"

"You bet we will!" Seth growled at him, stopping Dean for a quick kiss.  "How uncomfortable do you think we can make this lunch?"

Dean's eyes widened and he grinned at Seth's words, "Now you're talking my language baby!"

...

"I will separate you two!" Roman hissed at the pair making out across the table. 

Dean and Seth parted with teasing grins at him.  "Aww, come on Ro, you jealous?  I mean if you want in..."

"No!" Roman sputtered.

"That's a definite no on my part too!" Finn contributed.

They ignored both of them, continuing to amp up their PDA until Roman kicked them both.

As Dean and Roman started talking shop, Seth asked Finn if he'd tried to get ahold of Bayley yet.

Shaking his head, he shared, "I'm too nervous; scared that's she's not looking for anything else."

Seth reached over nudging him, "Maybe, but at least you'll know.  Sometimes you just have to take a chance," Seth's voice softened as he looked over at a animated Dean, who threw him a devastating grin.  "I'm so glad I did."

With a sigh and a deep breath, Finn pulled out his phone, dialing the number before he could have second thoughts.

"Hey Bayley, how are you?  I was just wondering if you have any plans for later?"

Seth grinned as he leaned his head on Dean's shoulder.  Dean was right, he needed to start concentrating on the good things in his life.

 

 

 

 

 


	57. Chapter 57

After lunch, Dean and Roman needed to head over to the venue for the house show they were performing at so the foursome headed back to the hotel so they could grab their stuff.

Although Finn was going to head out with them so he could meet up with Bayley before her early match and hit the gym, Seth decided to grab the dogs and then get some work done before he headed over.

Dean and Seth stopped by Finn and Roman's room so they could grab their babies, the dogs giving them a enthusiastic welcome as they leashed them to take them back to their room.

Before they could head out, Roman was giving them a warning, "D, we're meeting you downstairs in ten minutes! If you aren't there, I will leave your ass here and you can find your own way over."

Dean looked at him innocently, "Why would I not be ready?"

Roman just rolled his eyes and pushed him out of the room, slamming the door behind them.

Winking at Seth, Dean shared, "We can do a lot in ten minutes!"

Laughing, Seth used his free hand to grab the one of Dean's not holding a leash as they hurried the dogs to the elevator.

Once in their room, they let the dogs go as they all ended up on the bed together, Dean wrestling the dogs as they yelped excitedly at him, making Seth grin at the scene.

Once they'd settled down, Dean pushed them off before pouncing on Seth, "Think we can get each other off in the next five minutes?" he asked with a grin, making Seth nod enthusiastically as they hurriedly unzipped and released their dicks, simultaneously turning so they could give head at the same time.

With no time for any finesse, the pair's mouth quickly enveloped the other's cock, swirling their tongues aggressively as they pushed the other to the edge, Dean letting go first when Seth's teeth nipped at his head teasingly.

As Seth drew back from him, Dean increased his own efforts, causing Seth to release with a shout, flooding his throat as he swallowed every last drop.

Laying his head in his lap as he caught his breath, Dean grinned up at him, "Not bad for a time limit!"

Seth murmured affirmatively, still caught in the after effects of his climax as he reached down to play with Dean's curls.

As Dean leaned up to the look at the clock, he questioned, "How long do you think Ro will really wait? I'm thinking we've got at least another ten. Up for a shower?"

Seth laughed at him incredulously, "Fine with me, but I'm not facing his wrath! That's all you babe."

Dean shrugged, "Won't be the first time I've annoyed him and it certainly won't be the last!" standing up, he dragged Seth along with him to the shower.

Sure enough, about ten minutes later, Dean came strolling casually into the lobby where Finn was grinning maliciously at him as Roman paced, his face darkened thunderously. Turning to see him striding towards them, he blew his top, "Seriously Uce?"

Dean shrugged, "What? I needed to take a shower."

"You needed to go take a shower to go work out and then wrestle a match, really?" Roman roared. "And I'm betting you just had to take that shower with Seth..."

Dean nodded, "Well yeah, couldn't go to the venue smelling like cum could I?"

Roman closed his eyes, leaning his head down as he massaged his temples, "You can't kill him, you need him to win the belts, you can't kill him..." he began to recite to himself.

Meanwhile, Finn was watching the whole exchange amusedly, thinking about his own friendship with Seth and Sami and their teasing. Laughing quietly to himself, he followed after the pair as they set out to the venue.

...

Seth got right to work, snuggling up on the bed with the dogs as he poured over his case files before placing a call to his boss. Before long, he was joining him and a few other associates on a conference call, making some useful observations before they wrapped things up.

Hanging up, he felt pretty good. He was all caught up and he was getting a chance to spend some extra time with Dean: there was nothing better than that!

Deciding to head over to the venue earlier than he'd planned, Seth changed clothes, finding yet another one of Dean's shirt to proudly wear before calling himself a cab.

Exiting the cab in front of the venue, his eyes were drawn to a car passing by, swearing he could see Sami in the passenger seat!

Paying the cab driver, he walked towards where the car had just parked and found himself doubled over laughing as he was treated to the image of Sami making out with Kevin in the front seat.

Unable to resist, he walked over and pounded on the window, making the pair jump as Sami rolled down the window, face on fire, "Seth, what are you doing here? I thought you were spending the weekend with Dean."

Seth laughed, "Sorry to disappoint you, but Finn and I have been here since last night. I had some issues at work with Patrick and my boss asked me to take a couple of days and work from home."

Sami frowned at the mention of Finn, but his expression turned concerned at Seth's words, "You're okay?"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, he and his lawyer along with his dad and mine decided to ambush me at my office yesterday. It wasn't pretty and let's just say I need these few days away. So...what are you doing here? Well, besides Kevin, of course!" Seth snickered, making Sami blush again.

Sami shrugged, "Kevin's been asking me to come visit, but I've been busy. My freelancing was slow this week and Matt was good at the gym so I figured I'd come see him for a couple of days," he explained.

Seth grinned in the car at Kevin, "Hey Kev, nice to see you again!'

Kevin waved his hand at him, "Yeah, yeah, you too. I'm sure you've got stuff to do so we won't keep you."

Seth laughed as he leaned against the car casually, "Actually, I wasn't even supposed to be up here yet so Dean's not expecting me yet. I have plenty of time to catch up with you guys!"

Kevin glared at him as Sami blushed even harder before quietly stating, "Maybe, maybe we could get together for dinner later, but um, Kevin and I kind of have plans right now."

Leaning over, Seth ruffled Sami's hair, "Aww, you two are so cute! Go enjoy yourselves, but don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Seth walked off giggling as the pair both gave him the finger. He couldn't wait to share this with the others!

...

Dean and Roman continued to jab at one another on the trip over, but once there, they joined up to reassure Finn who was nervous about seeing Bailey again.

Dean and Roman dropped him off at her locker room and Finn knocked, happy when her soft voice urged him to come inside.

The second he walked in and saw her smiling face, he felt a smile growing across his own face. Just the sight of her gave him butterflies. Taking a deep breath, he decided Seth was right, he needed to make things clear once and for all.

Walking up to her, he pulled her in for a hug before pulling back and stating, "Ya have no idea how great it is ta see ya! Listen, I'm not trying to push ya into anything, but I need to know where we stand here. I like ya Bayley, a lot. I think maybe we could have something here."

He felt a sense of relief as she pulled him in for a kiss.

 ...

After dropping him off at her locker room, Dean and Roman headed to the gym to get in a quick workout before heading to a short meet and greet the company had set up for them to promote the upcoming match.

As they headed back to their room, Dean was busy sharing his ideas on their upcoming match and not paying attention to their surroundings, so he was floored when a soft voice suddenly said his name, "Dean!" and he turned to find a petite blond smiling softly at him.

As he looked closer at her, he froze as he suddenly realized just who was standing in front of him, "Lily?"

Confused, Roman looked between them, noticing how shocked and uncomfortable Dean suddenly appeared to be, "Uce?" he asked.

Blinking at him, Dean shook his head, attempting to clear it as he babbled, "Oh right, Lily, this is Roman, Ro this is Lily, a very old friend of mine."

Roman shook her hand, but it was clear that neither of them were paying much attention to him. Sensing the tension, he excused himself and continued on to their room, his mind whirling.

Stepping inside, he jumped as Seth's voice rang out, "Oh good, you're back. I wasn't sure if I should go try to track you guys down or not since I didn't know what your schedule was like. I got done with my work quicker than I thought so I figured I'd just head over..." his voice trailed off as he noticed Dean wasn't with him. "Where's D?"

Roman shrugged, "Down the hall still I think. Some friend of his just showed up here, he seemed pretty shocked so I left them to catch up."

Seth frowned, "What friend?"

Roman thought about it for a second as he tried to remember her name, "Oh it was Lily, like the flower I think."

All the color in Seth's face drained as he stumbled back into the bench behind him, setting down heavily.

Roman was instantly at his side, "You okay Uce?" he crouched down next to him.

Seth shook his head, "No, why would she come here now? What after all this time could she want with him?"

Roman knew that he was missing something pretty big at this point, but he still tried to reassure Seth, "I'm sure she was just in the area or something and wanted to say hi."

Seth gave a miserable chuckle, "Not likely! Fuck, why now?"

Roman peered at him, "What am I missing Uce?"

Distressed, Seth began to pace, "Dean's first love, the one who hurt his heart the most!"

Unable to just stand there, Seth suddenly turned and burst out of the room and into the hall, Roman chasing after him, sure that something bad was about to go down and feeling helpless to stop it since he was so clueless.

...

"I have to say you are the last person I expected to see today or any day for that matter!" Dean stated as he looked at her.

She gave a little laugh, smiling at him, making his heart ache at how innocent she still looked after all of this time, "This is not exactly where I planned on being either, but I needed to do this, for myself and for you."

Dean cocked his head at her, "Do what exactly?"

Taking a deep breath and sending him another nervous smile, she stated, "I needed to apologize for you, once and for all. I pushed you away when you probably needed me the most. I threw you out when you were struggling and sick and I've always been ashamed of myself for that. I'm sorry I didn't understand it then and that I didn't see my father's part in all of it."

Dean sighed, "You know?"

She nodded, "Yes, I figured it out a couple of years later, but by then the damage had already been done. I went looking for you, but your friends said you had taken off, that you were pursuing some wrestling thing. Imagine my surprise when, a few years later, I came across you on tv while channel surfing! I thought about coming and apologizing then, but I didn't think you'd want to see me and I figured you'd think I was after your money or something. It wasn't until last week that I came across a article about you and your boyfriend that I got the courage to finally track you down. At this point you probably don't even care, but I just needed to know that I let you know that I didn't just forget about you or intend to hurt you."

Dean leaned back against the wall, a bit overwhelmed with it all, "No, I care, I really do! It took me a long time to get over you, you know and a even longer time to trust anyone again, to let anyone love me!"

She winced at his words as she looked down at the floor, "I'm sorry. I know that's not really enough, but it's all I have unfortunately."

Dean peered at her, still unsure about why she was here, "Why now did you decide to come and tell me this?"

"When I saw that article and I saw that you had found someone who was going through a tough time, but that you'd stuck it out with him and stood by him, it just reminded me all over again what a amazing guy you are and I wanted, no needed to make sure you understood just how much you meant to me then; how much I appreciated you in spite of how it ended," she tried to explain, reaching her hands out to him as she let her eyes meet his head on.

Staring down at her hands in disbelief, Dean gasped, "I appreciate the sentiment, but it's a little bit too late, don't you think? I moved on a long time ago Lily and now I've found someone I intend to be with for the rest of my life. I love my boyfriend and that's not going to change!"

"Oh, oh, no!" she raised her hands at him as she shook her head. "I'm happily married with a family of my own now Dean, I didn't come here looking to rekindle things with you, I just wanted you to know that I understand that I was in the wrong back then. I had no expectations, although I'd love it if we could part as friends. I really did miss you Dean!"

As Dean read the sincerity in her eyes, he felt some of the tension fade away. He'd dreamed about this exact moment for years and now here it was and although it made him feel good to finally hear the words, he found that it didn't quite mean as much as he'd thought it would. He'd already come to terms with what had happened and he'd moved on.

Grinning at her, he took her hand, "Thank you for coming and for sharing that with me; I'm sure it wasn't easy. I'm glad that you have a good life; that we both do. All I ever wanted for you was happiness. I'm not sure about us being friends though. Too much time has passed and we don't even really know one another anymore. I'm not that same boy you fell for and I'm sure you're not that same young girl."

She squeezed his hand, "That's true, but I wouldn't be opposed to getting to know the man you are now. My husband knows I'm here if that's what you're worried about. He's actually outside wandering around with a friend of his. We bought tickets for the show."

Dean shook his head, "I'm not, just stating that friendship may not be in the cards, but we'll see what happens. Listen, if you're staying for the show, let me hook you up with better seats and maybe afterwards I can meet him and you can meet Seth. He'll be here a little later."

She smiled at him, "I'd love that, he seems like a good man."

"The best!" Dean shared wistfully. Leaning forward, he kissed her cheek, but as he went to pull away, she reached up and pulled him down, giving him a soft kiss right on the lips.

Pulling back, she rested her forehead against his, "That's what I should have done that day before I said goodbye. You were my first kiss Dean; my first love. You'll always have a special place in my heart."

Dean laughed, "We were so young then, we didn't even know what it meant to truly love someone."

"Didn't make it any less special, did it?" she said with a laugh of her own as she pulled away from him, both of them feeling a huge weight lifted from their souls.

"Well I better get going," Dean said, nodding at her as she nodded back.

Turning back towards his locker room, he was met with the image of a frozen Seth and Roman staring at them from just down the hall. Realizing what they must have just seen, Dean began to rush towards them, holding up his hands, "Baby, it's not what you think!" but it was too late as Seth tore by him, running too fast for Dean to stop him, tears falling down his face.

"Fuck!" Dean swore, turning back to Roman. "I swear Uce, we were just saying goodbye the way we didn't get a chance to years ago! What the hell is Seth even doing here?"

Roman shrugged, "He got done early with his work and decided to come spend some time with you before we had to go out. You need to go fix this Uce, it looked pretty bad from our angle!"

Nodding with a wince, Dean took off down the hall after him.

...

Patrick had followed Seth from his home, deciding trying to confront him with Finn around wasn't worth it since he had no idea where they were headed. He was surprised when they ended up at the airport, but in his anger he found himself purchasing a last minute ticket on their flight, making sure to stay out of their sight.

He was not going to let Seth humiliate him anymore. He and his boyfriend were going to pay for all of the pain they had caused him!

He trailed the pair to the hotel and a room they booked, but then they left and went to another room, making him grimace as that asshole answered the door and Seth threw himself in his arms. He frowned as the asshole's friend left with Finn, leaving Seth alone with Dean.

Patrick had hung outside the room for a hour, but when he realized that Seth wouldn't be leaving the rest of the evening and deciding confronting them there was too public, he ended up booking his own room and crashing, determined to find a way to get to his ex the next day.

Sure enough, the next afternoon found Seth and Dean exiting to join their friends for lunch. Patrick was excited when Dean later ended up leaving Seth at the room with those nasty dogs.

He waited it out and sure enough, Seth came out alone a little while longer stepping into a cab before he could get to him. Following discretely in his own car, he pulled up outside the venue, but once again his plans were foiled when Seth ended up at some car, which Patrick later realized held Sami in it.

Angry at another missed opportunity, he began to pace back and forth, trying to figure out his next move.

Suddenly, the door flew up and a sobbing Seth came running out, literally right into his arms. With a sadistic grin, Patrick looked down at him, "Hello sweetheart, fancy running into you here!"


	58. Chapter 58

Seth froze as he realized he'd literally ran right into the arms of the last person he ever wanted to be anywhere near again.  He immediately began to struggle against Patrick's grip as he continued to smirk at him.

"It's no use trying to get away Seth, you're coming with me," he proceeded to drag him across the parking lot as Seth decided to make as large of a scene as he could, kicking and fighting his way against his grip as he began to yell for help at the top of his lungs.

Hearing the door open behind him, Seth continued to try to pull away as his shoulders slumped in relief at the voice ringing out behind him, "Get the fuck away from him!"

Suddenly Dean was behind him, trying to help him escape with his added weight as his arms encircled his waist and pulled.  They both froze when they heard the click and looked up to see Patrick pointing yet another gun at Seth's head as he sneered, "I'll kill you both right here if you don't back off Dean!"

Stepping back with his hands raised, Dean began to plead with him, "Let him go Patrick!  I'm the one you have the problem with, right?  With me out of the way you can get back everything you lost."

As he pleaded, Seth could see Dean's head whirling, clearly trying to figure out a way to get them out of this safely.  Seth couldn't believe that with everyone milling around when he'd gotten here, that there seemed to be no one in the area at the moment.

All three of their heads swiveled when the door slammed behind them again as Roman came rushing out, hoping to help diffuse the situation between Seth and Dean, but now faced with one filled with even more peril. 

"Well, well, well, guess everyone's joining our little party!" Patrick laughed as his arms tightened around Seth.  "What do you think sweetheart?  Should I shoot them both right here or let them live knowing what I'm about to do to you?"

Turning towards him, Seth tried to reason with him, "It's too public here Patrick.  If you hurt them you're only sending yourself to prison for good.  There will be no bail this time!  If you want me to come with you then I will, but you have to let them go!"

Shrugging, Patrick stated, "It's a little late for me to worry about prison, but you're right, there's no satisfaction in taking them out right now.  I want them to suffer the same way that I've been.  And you're coming with me whether you want to or not so trying to soften me up or play your games isn't going to work this time!" he began to move away with Seth once again as Dean shook his head at him, his eyes locked on Seth's.

"Don't do this!" Dean yelled, trying to break away from Roman who had come up behind him and pulled him against him, trying to keep him from making any sudden moves to make the situation worse.

"Don't worry: I'll be back for both of you!  Maybe I'll take care of those nasty mutts of yours too.  You really shouldn't have left them alone at the hotel!" Patrick threatened, making Seth let out a piercing wail as he lost his footing against him, almost sagging in his arms. 

As he physically continued to drag Seth with him, Dean yelled Seth's name again and again until he finally raised his head and locked eyes with him again, "It's going to be alright baby, I promise!  You just hold on, alright?  He's not going to get away with this and when this is all over, I'll explain what you think you saw, okay?  Just remember that I love you; only you!  You hold onto that for me, alright?"

Seth gave him a sad smile as Patrick leaned him against his car, fumbling for his keys, "It's okay, you don't have to pretend for me, I get it.  I love you Dean and I just want you to be happy.  Do that for me, okay and take care of our babies!"

Feeling a blow to his heart at Seth's words, Dean was so focused on him and watching as Patrick shoved him in the car and drove away with him, that he didn't see what Roman had.  It wasn't until Roman was pushing him into the car that was suddenly in front of them that he realized that Cesaro was behind the wheel, Sheamus riding shotgun as they flew off after them.

"Huh, what?" he fumbled as he tried to wrap his mind around what was happening.

Roman shrugged as they both focused on Cesaro as Roman asked, "Not that we're not grateful man, but what are you guys doing?"

Cesaro laughed, "We pulled in at the same time that asshole grabbed Seth.  I knew something wasn't right so we stayed in the car and watched.  I was trying to find a opportunity to jump him, but I was afraid the gun would go off and hurt someone.  Look, you guys are friends, right?  Or at least friendly co-workers man, it wouldn't be right to just sit back and do nothing."

"That arsehole messed with tha wrong blokes!" Sheamus chimed in, hitting the top of the car roof.

Incredibly grateful, Dean leaned forward, smacking both of their backs as he began to enthusiastically try to help Cesaro with directions, "He's making a hard right.  Stay back a little bit, he doesn't seem to have seen us yet!"

Both Dean and Roman looked on in disbelief as he drove into their hotel lot.  Hanging back, they watched him drag Seth out of the car and into the building.  Dean turned to them, "Why the fuck would he bring him back here?"

"He had to have followed Finn and Seth here to know where they were so I'm betting he got a room and has been hiding out, waiting for a opportunity.  Come on, we need to see where he's going," Roman leapt out of the car, quickly followed by Dean.  Tony parked the car and then he and Sheamus followed along at a safe distance, figuring maybe they could provide a ambush if needed.

...

Seth spent the whole drive trying to figure out how to get himself out of the dangerous situation he'd found himself in.  He was so tired of being afraid of this man; of waiting for the next axe to fall.  There was no way in hell he was going to let Patrick have a chance to go back and hurt Dean or any of their friends.

As the car stopped, he looked up in confusion as he realized they were at the hotel.  What the hell was Patrick's plan?

He let himself be dragged out of the car and into the lobby, wanting him to think that he was too out of it to put up any fight.  He was hoping the element of surprise would be on his side.

He trembled as they ended up in front of his and Dean's room, now realizing that Patrick was making good on his threat to go after their dogs.  He tried to pull away from him, but Patrick pulled the gun out again, satisfied that no one was in the hall, "Get inside Seth or I'm going to blow both of those mutts' heads off!" he threatened.

Taking a deep breath, Seth followed him meekly inside, tears welling up in his eyes as his boys greeted him enthusiastically.  Setting down and nuzzling against them, he tried to keep them calm, urging them to go lay down in the corner of the room.  

Standing up he raised his head and looked Patrick dead in the eye, "I will kill you before I let you hurt them!" he promised, making Patrick laugh at him.

"Sure you will sweetheart: you couldn't hurt a fly.  You're pathetic, you know that right?  You're nothing without me sweetheart and you never will be!" Patrick said with disdain.

"No, you've got that one backwards: I was nothing with you: a pathetic excuse of a man who let you run my life.  Getting away from you was the best decision I ever made!" Seth's head turned to the side as Patrick slapped him, but Seth turned right back to him with a grin, "The truth hurts doesn't it?" he continued to poke at him, hoping his agitation would force him to make a mistake he could capitalize on.

Unfortunately, he forgot about the dogs and the second Patrick laid a hand on him, they were on their feet barking.  Distracted, Seth got them to sit down, but he'd lost any advantage he may have had.

Turning back, he was met with a punch to the side of the face as Patrick pushed him towards the bed, pulling at Seth's clothes as he struggled in vain against him, muttering, "Think you can turn me away; make a fool of me!  I'll show you; I'll show all of you."

Feeling a panic attack coming on, Seth tried to get himself under control.  He could get through this if it meant he could keep everyone safe. Closing his eyes, he tried to breathe as he pictured Dean above him, making love to him as he yelled out his love for him.  He needed Dean and their boys to be okay.

Determined, he opened his eyes and glared up at Patrick, "You can do what you want to me: it won't make a difference.  I'm never going to be yours again!  I gave my heart and my body to Dean and he owns me.  Nothing you do to me is going to change that fact!"

"You sure about that sweetheart?" he grinned nastily down at him as he brushed his hard on against Seth's twitching body, making him shiver.

Seth headbutted him, pushing himself out from under him as he yelled for the dogs, both of them instantly jumping on the bed and pinning him down.  As he moved to get the gun, the door behind him suddenly flew open and that's when things fell apart once again.

...

Dean punched the wall as he and Roman watched Seth and Patrick disappear into their room.  Dean had tried to go right after them, but Roman had held him back, "Uce, charging in there is just going to make things worse.  We need a plan first."

All Dean could see was red as he thought about that psycho in a room alone with his family.  How the hell was he supposed to sit idly by while that monster did god knows what to Seth and/or their dogs?

Shaking, he began to pace as Cesaro and Sheamus came up behind them and began to strategize with Roman.  Cesaro informed them that he'd called the police, but they all knew relying on them to get there in time wasn't a option.

Before they could stop him, Dean was suddenly charging down the hall and kicking in the hotel room door.  As the door swung open, he was greeted by the scene of his boys pinning the asshole down, Seth clearly having gotten the upper hand. 

As Seth's face turned towards him in surprise, Patrick managed to grab the gun off of the bed and turn to aim it at him.

As Dean raced forward, trying to push Seth out of the way as he screamed at him to duck, Patrick's finger squeezed the trigger, the bullet hitting Seth in the side as he attempted to get out of the way.

As he stumbled, he could see Patrick raising the gun once more as he turned it on Dean.  With a scream, Seth launched himself at him, his body screaming at him in pain, but determined to end this once and for all. 

As he tackled him, the dogs continued to hold onto him as they struggled for the gun.  As Roman, Cesaro and Sheamus burst into the room, the gun went off, shocking them all into silence as they stared down at the bed.

...

Roman finished giving his statement as the cops turned to Cesaro and Sheamus.  Walking away, Roman looked around for Dean, seeing him slumped in the passenger seat of Cesaro's car, waiting on them.

With a sigh, he made his way over to him, "Hey Uce, the cops are taking their statements now and then we can go."

Dean barely reacted, giving a half shrug.  Worried, Roman leaned down, laying a arm on his shoulder, "It's all going to be okay D, I promise."

As the others joined them, Roman and Sheamus slid into the backseat with the agitated dogs as Tony drove them to the hospital where they were met by Finn, Bayley, Sami and Kevin. 

Giving them all a hug, Bayley took the dogs and promised to watch over them that evening, stopping to kiss Finn's cheek as she settled the dogs into her car and drove off.

Silently, they all made their way inside, Roman heading to the desk to find out where they needed to go.  By the time they made it to the fourth floor, Dean was in the full throws of a panic attack.  Urging the others on to find out what was going on, Roman sat down with him against the wall in the hallway as he tried to help him get his breathing under control.

"Breathe with me Uce.  You need to be strong right now, alright?  Come on, you can do this!" he was pleased to see Dean taking some deep breaths as his face regained some of its color.  Nodding at him, Dean stood shakily to his feet, grasping onto Roman's arm as he led the way to the room.

In the doorway, Roman had to hold tightly to his waist as Dean gasped, slumping against him.  Inside, Finn, Sami and Kevin were surrounding Seth, who seemed to have tubes coming from every area of his body as the machines beeped, helping him breathe.

Pushing him forward, Roman pulled a seat up right to the bed and pushed Dean down into it as he leaned down and whispered to him, "You heard the doctor D, he's going to be okay.  He just needs a little time to heal and wake up.  Right now he just needs you to be here for him; for him to hear your voice."

Nodding at the others to follow, they made their way out of the room, leaving Dean alone with Seth for the first time since the whole debacle had began.

Grasping his hand, Dean pulled it up to his lips, gently gliding across his knuckles, "Hey Princess, I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier, but the cops wouldn't let us go without a statement and they needed to get you here ASAP. They didn't want to give me any information, but Ro called your mom and she gave them permission to talk to me and made sure we could all get in to see you.  I'm pretty sure she's on her way so just be prepared.  Don't worry: that asshole father of yours won't get anywhere near you!"

Looking down at him, Dean felt another piece of his soul shatter.  He didn't think it could get any worse than seeing Seth run from him, shattered, but then seeing him in that monster's arms had sliced him open wide, but not even that had been as bad as seeing Seth get shot and then hearing that second gun shot. 

Shuddering, Dean couldn't help but think about what would have happened if Patrick had gained control and got off a second shot at Seth instead of taking the bullet like he had.  Right now Dean could be in the morgue identifying his boyfriend instead of sitting here watching his chest rise and fall.  Seth could be dead and it would have been all because of him!

Feeling the weight of the day closing in on him, Dean began to sob as he pressed himself against Seth's chest, whispering to him, "I'm so sorry baby, if I hadn't had been distracted by Lily, if I hadn't let her kiss me, fuck if I'd chased after you right that second instead of letting Roman stop me we wouldn't be here right now!  Then I had to go and screw up your plan.  You had the upper hand on that bastard and I came charging in with no plan just like Roman had warned me not to do!  I'm the reason you're here lying in this bed now.  I'm sorry Princess, god, I'm so sorry!"

As Dean continued to lose it, he didn't even notice as Seth began to stir against him, his eyes coming open as he stared at the ceiling getting his bearings.  Slowly, he raised the hand Dean wasn't clutching to Dean's head, petting through his hair gently as he attempted to talk, frustrated when he realized that he had a tube in his throat.

At the feel of Seth's hand, Dean jumped back, looking at him with a wide grin, "Baby, you're awake!" As he stood, intent on getting a doctor in the room, he was stopped by Seth's hand holding him back.

Turning back, he found Seth struggling to take the tube out himself, "Princess, you need to leave that in!"

Seth shook his head stubbornly, making Dean sigh and lean forward to help him get it out, wincing as Seth began to cough raggedly.  As Seth opened his mouth, struggling to get his words out, Dean shook his head at him, "Don't push yourself Seth.  We can talk later," Dean let his hand go as he turned around once again to get someone, but this time he was stopped by Seth's soft, but determined words.

"Dean, wait!" he managed.

Turning back to him, Dean waited patiently as he continued on slowly, "The dogs ok?" he asked pleadingly.

Dean relaxed at the question, "Yeah baby, they're fine thanks to you."

Seth shook his head, "Was all of us.  S'not your fault.  Would, would have done the same if you were in there.  Wouldn't have waited," he reached his hands out towards Dean, who quickly traveled the distance between them and grasped them.  "Patrick?" he asked with a wince.

Dean shook his head, "He didn't make it."

Seth's eyes closed for a minute taking in the information as Dean squeezed his hands, reassuring him, "He brought it on himself babe.  He brought the gun there, he threatened us all and he shot you: he deserved what he got!"

Seth nodded warily, "I know you're right, but I'm not sure his family or friends will feel that way."

"Screw them!  You did the world a favor: that bastard won't be hurting anyone else ever again," Dean growled, making Seth wince again, causing Dean to calm down as he softly apologized.

Leaning down, he lay a kiss on Seth's forehead as Seth looked up at him, "Dean, can you hold me please?" he asked him.

Unable to resist his plea, Dean moved into the space on the bed Seth made for him, pulling him gently into his arms, trying to avoid all of the tubes.

As Seth snuggled against him, he let himself soak in the warmth and the comfort.  For now, Dean was here with him where he needed him to be.  Soon enough, he knew Dean would be walking away, but for now in this moment, he was still all his. 

"Love you Dean," he mumbled, tearing up as Dean repeated the words back to him.


	59. Chapter 59

Seth whimpered as the comfortable silence was interrupted by the door opening and their friends spilling in, all talking over one another.  As he burrowed deeper into Dean, Dean raised his own head and glared at them, "Do you think you guys can keep it down?"

Looking up, they all broke into smiles as they realized Seth was awake and in Dean's arms, "Sorry Uce," Roman whispered, apologizing for all of them.  Striding forward, they surrounded the bed looking down at them as Finn asked, "How ya feeling Seth?"

"Fine," Seth mumbled, face still pressed tightly into Dean's chest.

"We're all here for you Seth so you just let us know if there is anything you need!" Sami chimed in, making Seth look up at them quickly, his eyes widening a bit when he realized Kevin was there as well, but not commenting on it as he thanked all of them for being there for him and Dean.

Patting his shoulder, Roman stated, "Anytime Uce, you know that!  Listen, I know you probably want to rest, but Cesaro and Sheamus have been hanging around outside and just wanted to check on you before they left.  Do you want to see them?"

Seth looked at Dean in confusion, who quickly explained that they had jumped right in to help him and Roman chase after him.  With another sigh, Seth told Roman it was fine.

Moments later, the pair came in, both wearing looks of concern as they approached them, Cesaro taking the lead, "Glad you are awake Seth!  Hate to see a fellow crossfitter out for the count."

Seth forced a smile, "Thank you both for everything you did tonight.  You put your lives on the line for someone you barely know."

"From what I've seen, ya would do tha same for us," Sheamus' loud voice made Seth jump as Dean rubbed his shoulders soothingly.  "Tha bastard had no right messing with one of us.  Ya are Dean's family and that makes ya one of us so think nothing of it!  Ya just get some rest and let Dean take care of ya."

Nodding, the pair exited as the rest of their friends said goodbye as well, quietly exiting until just Roman was left, who moved forward to give them both a hug and promising to be back in the morning to check on them.  As he moved to leave, Dean asked him to send in the doctor ignoring Seth's protests.

Once Roman was gone, Dean settled Seth back down into his arms as he kissed his forehead, "Better to let them look at you now and have them leave us alone than have you falling asleep and being forced to get up later, don't you think?"

Seth pouted, but didn't say anything, making Dean laugh at him, giving him a squeeze, "I promise to make sure they leave us alone the rest of the night if you just let the doctor do what he needs to do now."

Seth's head rose again as he peered at him intently, "Us?"

"Yeah," Dean said with a smile.  "You didn't think I was going to let them kick me out of here, did you?  There's no way in hell I'm leaving here without you."

Heart stuttering, Seth leaned back into him, clutching onto him desperately.

The door opened once again admitting Dr. Jackson, who Dean had spoken with earlier, "Well, good to hear that my patient has woken up.  Mr. Ambrose, do you mind getting up so I can take a look at him for a minute."

Nodding, Dean crawled away from him, wincing at Seth's moan.

The doctor quickly looked him over, pleased with what he saw and heard, "Everything looks great Mr. Rollins, I anticipate you being able to go home in a few days if things continue to move this way."

Seth's head flew up as he glared at him, "A few days?  I want to go home now!"

Dean's hand squeezed his shoulder, "Seth?" he said warningly.

Seth frowned, but stayed quiet as Dean thanked the doctor and asked that Seth not be disturbed until morning.  He then emphatically informed him that he would not be leaving the hospital until Seth did.  Sensing that he didn't want to mess with the man, the doctor quickly agreed and left them alone.

Dean got up and locked the door behind him, then turned out the light and pulled the curtain around the bed so no one could look in at them from the window on the door.  As he got to the bed, he was pleased to find that Seth had drew back the sheet and scooted over, leaving a wide space for Dean to slide in next to him.

They both murmured in happiness as Dean slid in, pulling the sheet up and Seth into his arms, "Better?" he asked him quietly, grinning as Seth nodded against him.  "Good," he said laying a kiss on top of his head as he ran his hand through his hair.  "Get some rest now.  I'll be here when you wake up and we can talk more then."

"K," Seth sighed, snuggling in deeper as his breathing began to even out, content in Dean's promise to be there in the morning. 

As he drifted off, Dean was left wide awake, still trying to process the events of the day.  Arms unconsciously tightening around his boyfriend, he vowed to make this all up to him.

...

Seth woke up with a groan, his body aching everywhere as he moved around on the tiny bed, but relaxing as he felt Dean roll with him, his arms still tightly clasped around him.  Dean hadn't broken his promise: he was still here, at least for now and Seth was determined to take advantage of every moment. 

As he looked down at his boyfriend, who had snuggled down into his own chest now, he couldn't help but categorize all of the features that he loved so much.  He was going to need to hold onto them when Dean left. 

Although he knew that Dean was holding a lot of guilt for everything that had happened and he could easily play upon that and keep Dean glued to his side, he would never do that to him.  He wanted Dean to be happy and if that meant Dean leaving him for his first love, then he'd deal with it.

He frowned as Dean began to stir against him, his eyes closing as he sent a prayer above begging for just a little more time.

Stretching against him, Dean cracked his eyes and smiled up at him, "Morning Princess," he leaned up for a kiss, frowning when Seth barely responded.  "What was that?  I know you can do better than that baby!" Dean leaned up towards him again, his hands sliding behind Seth's head as he drew him back to him once again, pleased when Seth's mouth instantly opened up for him and welcomed his tongue, sliding along his own as they both moaned happily at the taste.

Drawing back for a breath, Dean smirked at him, "Now that's the good morning I was looking for!" he lay back down against him, his lips sliding across his chest as he asked, "How are you feeling?"

Seth shrugged, "Okay, I hurt everywhere, but I guess that's to be expected."

Dean frowned, "I'm sure they can get you some pain meds to help with that.  I'll go check in with the nurse," he started to get up, but Seth drew him back down as he whispered to him, "Don't go, I've got everything I need right here."

Dean shrugged, "I'm not going to argue with that, but I'm betting our peace isn't going to last much longer.  They're going to want to get in here and breakfast should be coming soon, I'm sure."

Seth shook his head, "Not hungry."

Dean sat up, glaring at him, "You're going to eat something Princess if I have to forcefeed it down you!  You are going to do everything you need to do to get out of here!"

Seth glared back at him, "Don't want food from here, want you to make me breakfast!" he whined.

Dean laughed at his tone, "Don't worry Princess, the second I get you home I'll shower you with all of the food you want, but until then we've got to work with what we have.  Maybe I'll see if Ro can bring us some real food when he comes by later."

Seth trembled as Dean spoke about going home, his eyes sliding away from him as he mumbled, "Told you I don't want you pretending with me Dean.  You can go, you know?  I know you have places you need to be."

Dean frowned at him, confused, "Hunter understood about the house show last night.  I guess it sucked with all of us missing, but they figured it out.  He already replaced us for tonight and tomorrow and we'll see about Sunday.  You're what's most important here, the belts can wait!"

Seth's face dropped as he realized he hadn't even thought about the fact that Dean was putting his career on hold to be with him as well.  He really was a selfish asshole!

"M'sorry," he muttered.  "You need to get back to work and I'm sure Lily is waiting for you.  As soon as I'm out of here, we can figure out getting your stuff back to Vegas and we can get Blue ready to go with you.  Maybe, maybe somewhere down the line we could get together and let the boys play?  They, they fin...fin...finally b-b-bonded and I'd hate for them to lose that!"  he held it together until the end, but now he was losing it.  Embarrassed as he began to break down in Dean's arms, who was still staring at him in shock, Seth tried to break away from him.

"Stop it!" Dean roared, holding his arms down as he moved to sit over top of him.  "Look at me baby?" he pleaded with him.

Reluctantly, Seth's tear-strickened eyes rose to his as Dean continued, "I'd hoped that you'd already figured out that you were wrong about that whole scene yesterday, but I guess that was just wishful thinking on my part.  I was so busy being worried about you that I didn't think to explain.  Fuck Princess, do you really think that just like that I could forget about you?  That I could decide that you aren't the most important person in my life?"

Seth's eyes slid away from him again, causing him to yell at him again, "I said look at me!"

As Seth eyes caught his once again, Dean pressed down against him, hands gripping the sides of his face as he pressed his forehead against his, "She really surprised me Princess.  I never would have thought I'd see her again, let alone back stage at one of my shows, but suddenly she was there.  You know, there was a long time, a very long time that that was all I wished for: a chance to talk to her again, another chance with her, but suddenly there she was telling me how sorry she was after all of these years and you know what I realized baby?  I realized that I didn't care, well okay, I cared, there was some satisfaction there hearing her tell me that she'd finally figured out what type of man her father was and what type of man I really was, but I realized that at the end of the day, it didn't really matter because I'd already come to terms with what happened between us.  You helped me realize that her rejection didn't define me, that I didn't need her validation to love you, to treat you the way you deserved."

Seth's eyes widened at the passion in his voice, "You, you do Dean.  You deserve so much better than me," his voice broke once again.

"There is no one better!" Dean's voice rose once again as he gave him a little shake, not even thinking about his side as he did so.  "Fuck Princess, you are it for me!  What else do I need to do to prove to you that you are my world?"

"But, but you kissed her," Seth sighed, his eyes closing once again.

Dean laughed at him, leaning down to leave a kiss on his nose, "I know, I was there baby, but it wasn't what you thought it was.  I thought the same thing you did at first: that she was there to try to rekindle things, but it turns out that she's happily married with kids and her husband and his friend were outside waiting for her.  She'd seen me on tv after I entered WWE, but she couldn't get the courage to come see me then.  It wasn't until all the recent publicity that she decided it was time.  She said she could see how happy you'd made me and she just wanted me to know that she understood how wrong she'd been then.  She asked if we could become friends and I said I wasn't sure, but I offered to set them up with some tix for the show.  We hugged and I kissed her cheek, but before I could walk away, she grabbed me and kissed me, she said that was the goodbye we should have had in the first place.  That's all it was Princess: a goodbye to the two kids we were back then, nothing more, nothing less, I swear!"

Seth shook his head, his eyes squeezed tight in pain as he protested, "You don't need to feel guilty D, I get it, I really do!  You're better off without me, all I've done was bring pain and chaos into your life.  I want you to be happy, that's all I've ever wanted."

With a sigh, Dean rolled off of him, standing up as he realized he'd aggravated his side.  Once he was certain that he was as comfortable as he could get him, Dean grabbed his hands once again, determined to get through to him.

"All I need to be happy is you Princess.  Yeah, lately we've been dealt more bad than good, but the good still far outweighs any of the pain," Dean's eyes suddenly widened as a painful thought occurred to him, "Do you still feel that way Seth?  I mean, if all of this is too much for you now, I'd understand.  I'll walk away if that's what you truly want.  I won't force myself on you if what you need is to be alone!"

"No!" Seth's eyes flew open, fear shining out of them as he gripped tightly to Dean's hands.  "I don't want you to go, I just, I want you to have everything you want and need Dean, even if that isn't me!"

"Okay," Dean suddenly let go of Seth's hands, making his heart stop, only beating again when Dean slid back onto the bed and carefully drew him back into his arms.  "Let's talk about that," he stated.

"What?" Seth asked as he let himself relax into Dean's arms.

"What I want and what I need.  It's a pretty short list actually and can pretty much be summed up in one word: you!" Dean grinned at the blush rising across Seth's face.  Finally, his boyfriend seemed to be listening to him.  "Do you remember when you met Roman?  I told him you were everything that he'd wanted for me, everything that I wanted for myself and then some.  I'm not sure we ever really talked about that so maybe we should.  Can we do that?"

Seth nodded against him, "Alright," he said softly.

They both groaned as someone began to bang against the door.  With a sigh, Dean stood up, his hand caressing Seth's face, "Hold that thought baby."

Seth pouted as the nurse fussed around him before another doctor stopped in for a quick examination.  Just when he thought he could be alone with Dean again, the orderly on duty came in with what passed for breakfast there.

The second he left, Dean was back by his side, pulling up a chair as he pushed his food tray in front of him, both of them laughing as he lifted the tray and they looked at the poor substitute for food on the plate.  Shaking his head, Dean shared, "I just texted Roman to come a little later with lunch.  Until then, do you think you can at least get the jello and juice down for me?" he put a extra bit of pleading in his voice, pleased when Seth blushed again and nodded, immediately grabbing his fork and beginning to eat.

The second he was done, Dean pushed the tray out to the hall and returned to his side, once again sliding into the bed and pulling him back against him, "The only thing I ever really wanted growing up was to know that I mattered to someone; that I was loved.  Again and again, I was reminded that my parents could have cared less about me and I didn't really have any friends who gave a damn.  It was easy for me to let the drugs give me what I thought I was missing.  My dependency had me sleeping around with anyone who could help me get a fix.  Lily was the exception to that, but our relationship was just as unhealthy as any of my other ones were.  She temporarily gave me a sense of worth and the love and comfort I'd been searching for, but in the end it was just another dark hole that I had to find my way out of.  Wrestling is the only thing in my life with any consistency; the only thing that hasn't turned its back on me.  I consider Ro to be a extension of that.  I found a job that I'm good at, a community that welcomed me and a friend who always has my back.  I never imagined that I could or would have any thing beyond that.  Roman was constantly telling me that he wanted me to find someone like Galina; someone who would love me back as much as I loved them, but instead I kept throwing myself at people not worthy and he was the one there picking up the broken pieces time and time again until you," Dean smiled as he tipped Seth's face up to his, leaning down for a chaste kiss.

Seth sighed as Dean drew back, "He thought I was going to hurt you too," Seth stated.

"Yeah," Dean agreed.  "And even though I was angry as hell about how he was treating you, I guess I understood it: I'd already set the precedent of not knowing what was good for me and he just assumed it was going to be the same old story with me winding up hurt and him trying to keep me from going over the edge."

"But it wasn't?" Seth asked as he looked into Dean's eyes. 

Dean smiled up at him, "No, it wasn't.  In just a few days time, you'd already given me all of the things I'd been searching for: your love, your faith and your trust.  I never would have admitted it, but I wanted what Ro had, you know?  I wanted someone to go to bed with every night and wake up with every morning, someone who was there for me after a hard day to cheer me up and right by my side in my happiest moments.  I wanted someone who trusted me to be by their side and to love them the way they deserved who loved me back with equal measure.  I wanted someone I could put first who would do the same for me.  I wanted someone I could make a life with; someone I could make a family with.  Someone who understood my life and could deal with it, who would fight with me for our relationship and not just walk away when the going got tough.  Does any of this sound familiar baby?" Dean winked up at him, making Seth smile down at him.

"Maybe," he stated with a sigh as he lay back down on Dean's chest, listening to his heartbeat for a moment as he tried to gather his thoughts.  "I wanted all of those things too and I was so surprised when suddenly you were giving me all of them.  I needed to feel safe and loved and you did that for me without question."

Dean nodded, "I always will," his hand slid down to rest on the small of Seth's back.  "I love you Seth: you and no one else.  I can't imagine ever finding anyone else who does all that you do for me baby.  I don't think I can live without you at this point.  Yesterday, watching that bullet hit you..." Dean shuddered, making Seth reach up to lay a kiss at his throat before raising himself so he could reach his lips, "Shh," he whispered.  "I'm right here D, I'm not going anywhere!"

"Neither am I," Dean stated sorrowfully as he stared into his eyes, determined to make him believe it.

Eyes closing for a moment, Seth took a deep breath before answering, "I believe you.  For the record: I love you too Dean, more than I ever thought was possible.  The thought of never seeing you again...well, I'm just grateful to be here now with you," he leaned forward for another desperate kiss, both of them saying more in the action than they ever could with their words.

Much later, they lay in one another's arms, waiting for Roman's visit as they talked softly, sharing the moments that they'd been apart and their separate terror.  Suddenly realizing he had no idea where their dogs were, Seth rose up, "Our babies?  You said they were okay?"

"They're fine," Dean reassured him.  "Bayley took them back to her room last night and they'll stay with our friends until you can get out of here and we can take them home with us."

Seth slumped against him as he sighed, "Home, that sounds so good!"

Dean hummed in agreement, "As soon as possible baby, I promise."

Seth's hands moved to play with the ends of his hair, his fingers sliding through his curls as he shared, "But first, you're going to go get your belts!"

Dean sighed, "Baby!"

Seth poked his side, "Uh huh, we're not going to let this ruin your moment, ruin Ro's moment, hell, ruin mine!  I was looking forward to being in your corner and if I have anything to say about it, I'll be right there when your arm is raised!"

"Hospital bed and all?" Dean quipped with one of his goofy grins, dimples on full display.

"Even if they have to wheel me ringside!" Seth vowed, making them both laugh.

As they lay back down, clinging to one another, Seth promised himself that he'd find a way to show Dean how much he meant to him.  He was feeling guilty for ever doubting him in the first place.

Next to him, Dean continued to wallow in his own guilt.  Somehow, someway he'd find a way to be the man Seth deserved!

.

 

 

 

 


	60. Chapter 60

Roman frowned as he watched the interaction between the two. He'd brought some burgers and fries for both Dean and Seth and they were currently chomping down, but that wasn't what had him worried.

Although Dean seemed to have made it clear that Seth was the only one he wanted, it was also clear that neither of them was doing very well. They both looked wrung out and exhausted, which he guessed was natural after all they'd been through, but there was something else there that was making him uncomfortable. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it.

As he watched Dean rise to throw away his food container, he watched as Seth seemed to sag the second he left, immediately relaxing when Dean was back beside him on the bed. As he watched him latch onto Dean, he could see Dean looking down at him with a guilt-ridden look as he began to fuss over him. 

With a internal sigh, Roman rubbed his forehead realizing that what was bothering him was the fact that the pair looked more like the Dean and Seth he'd first seen together that day at the hotel: two insecure men who were doing everything they could to keep from losing the other. 

It wasn't until right that moment that he realized how much they'd changed in that time. They'd gained confidence in themselves and in one another and although they had a hard time being separated, they were making it work. Now it was like they'd stepped back in time, both unsure of where they stood with the other and both afraid to make the wrong moves.

"Headache Uce?" Dean asked as he looked over at him.

Roman nodded, "Yeah, a little one. So, what has the doc told you about getting out of here Seth?"

Seth frowned, "He said a few more days, but I'm going to be out of here by Sunday," he said stubbornly.

Roman shook his head at him, "Uce, I, and I'm sure Dean, appreciate the sentiment, but we'd rather you stay here and recover rather than push yourself too hard just to be at some pay per view."

"It's not just some pay per view: you and Dean are winning the belts finally! I need and want to be there for you both," Seth protested.

"Hey, we'll see what the doctor says. Besides, I already told you that I'm not leaving here until you do so the belts will have to wait if you have to stay here longer!" Dean interrupted.

Seth sighed, "I feel fine. I need to get out of here!"

"Only when the doctor tells you that you can leave baby!" all three heads turned towards the doorway as Seth's mom walked in with a gentle smile, immediately heading to Seth's side as Dean stood up and let her lean over to grab his hand and lay her other hand on his forehead as she leaned down to lay a kiss on his cheek.

Seth sighed as he realized that he was now being ganged up on by a trio, "Stupid! I don't need to be here any longer!" he pouted, making his mom smile as he seemed to revert back to the willful child she had raised.

"You're going to lay right there and heal is what you are going to do!" she said emphatically, shutting him up effectively to the astonishment of Dean and Roman.

"Now, I've heard the quick version, but now I want to hear exactly what happened!" she said as Dean moved to slide a chair over for her as Roman sat down in another chair at the end of the bed and Dean moved around and perched next to Seth on his other side, Seth immediately grasping his hand.

Suddenly, he was squeezing it so tightly, Dean wasn't sure he'd ever get feeling back into it as another voice stated, "I'd like to hear that too!"

With a groan, Seth looked towards the doorway as his father stood there glowering at all of them. Leaning down, Dean whispered in his ear, "I can have security throw him out right now. You're awake and can make your own decisions now so he has no legal rights if you ask him to be banned."

Seth shook his head as he whispered back, "No, it'll just make a bigger scene and he won't give up. Then all it will hurt is my mom. I'd rather just get it over with."

Shrugging, Dean leaned back as Seth sat up higher and looked over at his dad, "Why are you here? I thought I made it clear that I want nothing to do with you."

"Now son..." he began.

"Don't even!" Seth snapped. "I have nothing to say to you. I don't want you here and I don't need you here!"

"You're obviously not in a good place right now to be making decisions Seth. The last thing we need is letting the world paint you as a murderer so I'm here to help facilitate a way out of this mess that you've gotten yourself into!" his father said matter-of-factly.

"Mess that he's gotten himself into? This isn't some merger that he messed up by making a wrong move! Your son could have died last night! His psychotic ex put a bullet through his side and all you can think about is the fact that there might be some backlash because that asshole didn't survive?" Dean was on his feet instantly, Seth's grip on his hand the only thing holding him back.

"I'm not speaking to you," he said disdainfully, turning back to Seth. "Son, you and I both know that Patrick's father isn't just going to let this go. You had your chance to end this thing peacefully and quietly by having Patrick committed and you chose not to. Now you're stuck facing the consequences. We need to head off any lawsuits by approaching his father contritely now."

Seth closed his eyes as he let out a choked laugh, "You are unbelievable! A man died last night, god, your best friend's son and all you can think about is the financial consequences! Patrick may have been a terrible human being, but he had people who cared about him, who loved him. You treated him more like your son than you ever did me and yet you have no concern outside of how this is going to effect your reputation, do you?" Seth's disbelief rang out through his voice as even his own mother stared at his father in shock and disgust.

With a sigh, Seth stated, "I want you to leave now and don't bother coming back here. I already told you that anything to do with my life is no longer your concern. Please leave or I will have you escorted out of here!"

"Or we'd be happy to do it," Dean warned, earning a nod from Roman who stood up to his full height.

"You're going to end up regretting this son and when you're in court on the verge of losing everything you've built, I'm not going to be there to bail you out this time!" his father warned as he exited the room, leaving the rest in dead silence for a minute as Seth tried to get himself together.

Leaning down, Dean's lips grazed his forehead, "Hey, don't listen to a damn word that man has to say alright!"

Seth gave him a sad smile, "He's not wrong: Patrick's father is going to be out for blood and I guess I can't really blame him."

Dean shrugged, "Patrick brought everything on himself and it's going to be easy to prove that. We'll get through anything they try to throw at us baby, I promise!"

Patting his shoulder, Roman agreed, "That's right Uce. We'll all be here to make sure of that!"

Seth's mother nodded, "That's right Seth, you're going to have all of the support you need!"

Seth blushed as he looked at them, "Thank you, all of you. I'm getting a little tired though so I think I'm going to take a nap."

Leaning down to give them both a quick fist pump, Roman made his exit as Seth's mom gave him a hug and kiss and promised to return later. Leaning over, she left Dean surprised as she lay a kiss on his cheek as well, "Take care of my son!"

"Always!" Dean said back as she left with a soft smile at them.

Turning back to Seth, Dean asked, "Are you really tired, or did you just need some time alone?"

Seth sighed, "Both. I just, it's a lot to process."

Dean nodded, "I know. Do you want me to leave as well? I can go hang out in the waiting room for a bit or have Ro take me back to the hotel for a little while."

"No!" Seth pulled him down next to him. "I wanted alone time with you. Can we just lay here for awhile like yesterday?"

"Of course," Dean promised. "Love you Princess." he lay a kiss on top of his head.

"Mmm," Seth pressed tightly against him. "Love you too D."

...

It was a good thing that they had taken some time to relax, eventually falling into a nap before they were interrupted by the nursing staff again, because the rest of the evening found a relentless string of visitors with Sami and Kevin popping in before Cesaro and Sheamus showed up.

After the foursome left to hit the road for a weekend house show, Seth had drew Dean back into bed with him, when the door swung open again, this time admitting Roman and Finn. Although a bit annoyed, Seth was grateful to them both and even more so when he saw the pizza and breadsticks they'd brought along with them.

After chatting for awhile and then putting on some cheesy movie that they were all making fun of, Seth's mom showed up and Finn and Roman excused themselves, promising to be back the following day with more food.

Looking at Dean's tired face and ragged looking outfit, Seth's mom stopped Roman before he could exit and asked him to take Dean with them so he could take a shower and get a change of clothes and maybe a nap. Dean protested, but she insisted so he reluctantly gave Seth a quick kiss and promised to return right away.

Seth frowned as he watched him walk out, making his mother laugh.

"Hon, he's going to be back soon. He clearly needs a break," she said as she settled in at his bedside.

"But..." Seth began.

"But nothing! I'm not going anywhere anytime soon so there's no reason he can't take a little time and get himself together. Besides, I think you two will survive a hour apart," she admonished him, making Seth pout. "Oh honey, I know that you've been through a real rough time and you want Dean with you, but he can't realistically be at your side every minute of the day. Now, why don't we find something else to watch."

Grabbing the remote, she began to channel surf as Seth continued to sulk next to her, his eyes on the clock.

...

Dean was a bit too quiet on the drive back to the hotel, causing Roman to ask him if he was okay.

Startled, Dean's eyes rose to him a bit confused, "Huh?"

"I asked if you were okay Uce," Roman explained.

Dean shrugged, "Fine, I'm just worried about Seth. I mean, what if something goes wrong while I'm gone. I know the doctor said he was good, but things happen, you know? Besides, he's so vulnerable right now, I don't like leaving him alone."

"He's with his ma Dean, he's fine," Finn chimed in from the driver's seat. 

"Exactly Uce, you've been clinging to one another for a couple of days now. A little time apart will be good for you both!" Roman exclaimed.

"But he needs me!" Dean whined.

"And you've been there for him and will be there for him every step of the way D, but you got to let him come to terms with things for himself too. He needs to process all of it without having you to hide behind. No offense Uce, but you're both so filled with guilt about the whole situation that I don't think either of you can see straight," Roman nudged him a bit.

"Ro, he never would have been shot if I hadn't..." Dean began before Roman cut him off, turning around to look at him in the back seat as he reached out and grabbed his arm, giving him a little shake.

"D, it happened, it wasn't anyone's fault but Patrick's. You and Seth both made some mistakes, but you can't go back and change them so you just have to be grateful that you're both here and safe and together. Seth's carrying his own guilt for not believing in you and for what happened to Patrick. Yes, the man was a complete waste of space, but there was a time when Seth loved him, when he was very important to him and somewhere inside of him those feelings are still there. They shared a life together and he's worried about confronting his friends and his family and he's going to need your strength. Can you put aside your own guilt and help him get to the other side of this?" Roman asked.

Dean sighed, "I hate the thought that something I did could have made me lose him forever."

"I know Uce, but there was no malicious intent there. You had no idea Lily was going to walk back into your life and that Seth would see what he did and misinterpret it. If it was turned around, would you blame Seth because you walked or ran right into a dangerous situation?" Roman tried to get through to him.

"No," Dean mumbled.

Roman just looked at him, making him sigh again as he continued, "Okay, okay, I get it! You're right, Seth doesn't blame me and there's nothing I could have done to change it except not rushing into that room like I did. That's what I can't get past!"

"No one knows what would have happened if ya hadn't gone in there when ya did. Yes, Seth may have had the upper hand, but they were both reaching for tha gun, it could have gone off and the outcome could have been much worse with Seth or the dogs getting hurt or worse. Things worked out tha way they were s'posed ta," Finn emphatically stated, effectively shutting Dean up finally.

After a few moments of silence as Dean stared out the window, Roman spoke again, "I've got one more thing to say and then we'll drop it Uce. Looking at you two today took me back to when I first met Seth and how you were both so uncertain about your relationship and one another. Don't let this ruin all of the progress you've made! I mentioned it to you once before and you said you'd think about it, but I still think you two could benefit from some counseling. Just something to mull over," Roman finished up as they pulled into the lot. "Alright, go do what you need to do and just let me know when you want to go back to the hospital and I'll run you over there. Oh, by the way, Bayley dropped the dogs back off with us before she headed on to the house show."

Dean grinned, "I'll swing by your room after then so I can see them," turning to Finn, Dean smirked at him, "Since we're done analyzing my relationship, let's talk about yours! What's up with you and Bayley."

Finn blushed as he looked at them, "We're seeing where it goes. We talked about what we both want and we agreed that we'd like to move forward together, but we're taking it slow."

Roman and Dean both slapped his shoulders with matching smiles, "Way to go Finn!"

Dean laughed, "Seth's going to be thrilled that you took his advice. Speaking of which, did you know that before everything went down yesterday, Seth found Sami making out with Kevin in his car?"

As the trio made their way into the hotel, Roman and Finn's booming voices rang out, both demanding more details.

...

Seth's head raised up off of his pillow as the hospital room door creaked open, emitting a beaming Dean, who he had to reluctantly admit looked much better now that he'd had a chance to shower, shave and change clothes.

Sensing the pair wanted to be alone, Seth's mother made her exit, hugging them both as she left, Dean thanking her for the opportunity to get himself together.

The second the door closed, Seth was holding his arms out towards him, Dean immediately walking over and into them, leaning down to share a gentle kiss with him before letting go and settling into the seat Seth's mother had vacated.

Seth pouted as he sat down, making Dean laugh, "Baby, I think the staff prefers I not be in the way every time they come in here to check on you."

"Don't care what they want," Seth whined. "I like having you next to me."

Sighing dramatically, Dean over exaggeratedly slid onto the bed, pulling him into his arms, making Seth giggle, "You're lucky I love you so much Princess!"

Seth poked him, "Yeah, I can see what a hardship this is for you."

Dean was relieved at his teasing tone. Maybe Roman was right and they'd needed a little time apart to help ease some of the tension between them. Continuing to mull over things, Dean made a decision, quickly asking the question before he could think better of it, "Seth, you know that you can talk to me about anything right, even how you're feeling about Patrick? I know that he was a huge part of your life both bad and good and there's gotta to be a lot going on in your head regarding that."

Seth stared at him, a bit surprised by his statement, "I wasn't expecting that. I mean, I didn't think you'd want to hear anything about him that wasn't about what a terrible person he was."

Dean shrugged, "You already know my thoughts on him, but you fell for him once and he has friends and family who loved him so there had to be something there buried underneath all of the bad that I never got to see. I'm not sorry that he's not here anymore. I wanted you to be safe and him being gone accomplishes that, but I do feel for the people who cared for him, especially you."

Seth snuggled up against him, his mind whirling, "It's weird," he whispered, "I don't really know what I feel right now. He destroyed every part of himself that I loved and admired, it's hard to even think about that person I first met as a child or the man I came to know when we reached adulthood. I guess I just feel sorry, sorry that he lost his way, sorry that I pushed him so far over the edge that there was no way back for him."

Dean's arms squeezed him tightly, "Don't put that on yourself Princess! You didn't do anything to him. You loved him, you tried to be what he needed, but somewhere in his head he was too messed up to accept it. The violence in his soul was too overpowering. All of his own bad mistakes led him to his end and although you can feel sorry for him and for those around him, you can also be glad he's gone, glad that he can't hurt you or the people you care about anymore."

Dean's words seemed to set Seth's emotions free as he began to sob, letting go of a lot of pent up guilt and anger and confusion, "I am glad, so glad that he can't touch you anymore. I was so scared when I realized he was taking me to our room and our babies. I told him that if he touched them, I'd kill him myself! He laughed at me, but I meant it. I would have done anything to protect them and you."

Dean nuzzled against him, "Me too and you did just that baby. You saved all of us! Listen, I know you're still feeling guilty about running from me in the first place, but I would have done the same thing if I'd walked onto that scene. Ro told me that we both needed to let this go and he's right. After everything, we can't let Patrick poison what we've built between us. I love you Seth and I want to spend a long and happy life with you and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that happens. Ro suggested we talk to someone, actually he suggested it a long time ago, but I kind of ignored him."

Seth sat back, staring down at him with a frown, "You think we need a psychiatrist?"

Dean shuddered, "I was thinking more along the lines of couples counseling. I think we both aren't the greatest at communicating our feelings and our own hangups and insecurities get between us more than they should. Maybe talking to a professional can help somehow. I'm not crazy about the idea of sharing with a stranger, but I'm willing to try if that's what we need to do to make things right."

Laying back against him, Seth let himself really think about the idea, "Maybe, I, I don't want to lose this, us. I'd be willing to go and just see what happens."

Dean lay a kiss on his cheek, "Alright, Ro and Galina went through some trouble and were seeing someone. I'll get the name and number from Ro and maybe we can try them or we can get a recommendation for someone closer to us."

"Alright," Seth said weakly, making Dean's hold tighten on him.

"I love you. I love you and we can fix this" Dean stated quietly.

"I know and I love you D. We'll figure it out," Seth closed his eyes as the pair drifted off, their breathing regulated to one another as they both battled their instincts telling them to run while they still had the chance.


	61. Chapter 61

"Everything is still looking good Mr. Rollins," Dr. Jackson shared.  "As long as you take it easy, I see no reason why you can't go home this afternoon.  I'll get started on the paperwork right away."

Seth's eyes widened, "Really?"

The doctor nodded, "Your wound is healing nicely and again, as long as you take it easy, you should be fine."

Seth grinned, "When you say take it easy, would sitting in the stands at a sporting event be pushing the limits?" he had to ask.

"Moving around with a bunch of people probably isn't the best thing for your side right now so I wouldn't suggest it," the doctor replied.

"But you wouldn't say absolutely not either, right?" Seth asked.

The doctor shrugged, "No, but I wouldn't recommend moving through one of those suffocating crowds."

Seth nodded, "That won't be a problem.  Oh, one more thing I wanted to ask you about," Seth said blushing.

...

Dean had left the room when he'd realized that he'd missed a call from Roman and from Hunter.  Deciding he'd rather have the heads up first, he quickly dialed his best friend.

_"Hey Uce.  How's Seth?"_

_"Pretty good.  The doc is checking him out now.  I saw you and Hunter both called so I figured something was up."_

_"They're freaking out a bit since they don't know if one of their main events is still a go for tomorrow or not.  I told them that you refused to leave Seth's side and although I think Hunter understood, Vinnie didn't sound too thrilled.  He threatened to send us back to the mid-card if we don't show up tonight to go over the match."_

_"Fuck!  I'm sorry about this Uce, but you know how I feel.  I'm not leaving here without Seth even if that means losing my chance at the belts in the process."_

_"Nothing to be sorry for D.  I'd do the same thing if it was Galina and fuck everything else!  If we have to job again for awhile, we will."_

_"Thanks Ro!  I better get back to Seth.  The doc is checking him out again.  I'll give Hunter a call in a bit."_

_"Ok D.  I'll stop by later.  Any requests on food?"_

_"Nah, surprise me."_

Dean hung up and headed back to Seth's room, finding the doctor leaving as he headed in, "Everything okay doc?" he asked.

"I'll let him tell you," Dr. Jackson said as he headed off.

Concerned, Dean headed in and right up to Seth's bedside, grabbing his hand as he asked, "Problems?"

Head down, Seth mumbled, "Depends on how you look at it."

Dean frowned as he gave his hand a squeeze, "Hey, we'll deal with whatever it is Princess!  Just tell me what's going on."

With a grin, Seth looked up at him, "The doctor is going to get my paperwork ready, I can go home as soon as it's done, but we're going to need a ride out of here, right?"

Dean gave him a shove as he swore, "Fuck baby, I thought something was wrong!"

Seth giggled, "Sorry, I couldn't resist!  Do you know how amazing it feels to know I can finally get out of here?"

Dean nodded, "As good as I feel to know that you're well enough to leave I guess."

Seth's eyes softened as he reached a hand out, cupping Dean's cheek, "Have I told you today how much I love you?  Seriously D: thank you for everything.  You've been my rock through all of this."

"Yeah, well the same way you're always there for me.  I love you Princess and I'd do anything to make sure that you're healthy and happy," Dean caught his hand, giving his palm a kiss.

Seth grinned happily at him as he said, "Think Ro will pick us up?  How soon do you need to be at the venue for tomorrow?"

Dean frowned, "Of course he will.  I just got off the phone with him and he was planning on coming by with dinner later so I'll just let him know to come now and we can grab something afterwards.  Hunter and Vince have been freaking out and want him and I at the venue tonight to go over the match with Cesaro and Sheamus, but I was going to give them a call after I checked on you to tell them that I won't be there tonight or tomorrow.  Ro agreed that if they want to push us back down the ladder then we'll deal with it.  You come first."

Seth sighed, "I love that you put me first babe, but it's unnecessary in this case.  I'll be out of here shortly and we can head on to the venue.  The doctor said that if I can avoid moving through the big crowds that he doesn't see a reason that I can't be there for your match.  Although I'd prefer to be in the front row to cheer you on, I was thinking maybe if there's a suite open, Finn, Sami and I can hang out and watch from there.  If not, I'll stay in back if I have to, but I need to be there for you D and you and Ro need to take the opportunity they're giving you."

Seeing how serious he was and knowing that when he wanted to be, Seth was just as stubborn as he was, Dean agreed, "Alright Princess, but you are going to follow the doctor's instruction to the letter and the first sign of discomfort and I'm sending you back to the hotel."

Seth rolled his eyes at him, "Fine!"

With a grin of his own, Dean leaned over for a enthusiastic hug, "I'm so glad you're alright Seth!"

Seth held on to him for a moment before pushing him away, "Call them!"

Nodding, Dean dialed Roman, quickly letting him know the change in plans before dialing up Hunter, his anger starting anew as Hunter answered the phone brusquely.

_"About time you graced us with your presence Dean!  I called you hours ago.  I get that you're worried about your boyfriend, but there's a lot of people here counting on you and the fact that you haven't even bothered to keep us up to date on what's going on tells me that..."_

Dean quickly cut him off, " _Hey!  Roman has been checking in with you regularly so don't even try to play that you weren't aware of what was going on.  And as far as Vince warning us to be there tonight or else, I made it very clear that I wasn't leaving Seth's side until he was released and I meant it.  Luckily, Seth should be out of here in the next hour or so and we'll be on our way then, but if he hadn't been, I want to make it clear that I would not have been jumping when you or the old man said so.  I would have stayed here just like I said I would, belts or no belts!"_

_"That's very admirable Dean, but..."_

Again, Dean cut him off, " _Admirable?  Really?  You can't sit there and tell me that if either of you were in this position with Linda or Stephanie that you wouldn't be doing the same exact thing!  And if you can say you wouldn't; that you'd put the business first, then you're both sorry excuses for human beings!"_

Seth winced at Dean's tone, trying to reach out and shut him up, but Dean didn't give a damn.  He wasn't going to sit by and let anyone fault him for staying by Seth's side.  He meant everything to him and for anyone to question that was beyond him.

On the other end of the phone, there was dead silence as Hunter took his words to heart.  Again, he was struck by the oddness of Ambrose being so passionate about another person.  He'd always been impressed with Dean's work inside the ring and his heart, but he was finally starting to gain some respect for him as a person as well and he made a promise to himself to smooth things over with his father-in-law once again.

 _"I'd like to think that I would do the same thing that you have Dean, but this business is our lives so I can guarantee that I'd be doing everything I could to make sure that if I couldn't be there for a scheduled match, that I made sure that the company had something else in place to replace it.  We just would have liked for you to show a little more interest in that; that's all. That said, I'm glad you were there for Seth.  He certainly seems to have dealt with a lot in his life and I'm sure your support has meant a lot to him.  I'm glad that he and all of you are okay.  Now, can we set all of this aside and concentrate on your match?"_ Hunter asked.

_"I can respect that.  Thanks for your concern.  The trip is only a couple of hours so we should be able to meet up with the guys later this evening if that's alright.  Also, Seth wants to make the trip with us, but his doctor and I are both uncomfortable with him being in the crowd.  Do you know if we can set him up in a suite?  A couple of his friends have been traveling with some of the guys so they could be with him as well."_

_"Yeah, shouldn't be a problem, but as soon as Vince hears about it, he's going to want to use it as a press opportunity.  Rumors have been swirling about what went on and he's going to want there to be some kind of official statement from you guys."_

Dean frowned, looking at Seth who gave him the thumbs up.  If talking about what happened could smooth things over for Dean, then he could deal with it.

_"Alright, Seth says that's fine.  I guess we'll see you later then."_

_"Sounds good.  Thanks Dean."_

Hanging up, Dean moved back over to Seth's side, looking at him worriedly, "Are you sure Seth?  I don't want you to feel pressured into talking about what happened."

Seth shook his head, "It's fine.  We knew it would happen eventually and if we get ahead of things before Patrick's family starts their attack, maybe we can get a handle on it."

Dean sighed, "Damn, I didn't even think about that!  How do you think your boss is going to take all of this?"

Seth gave his own sigh, "I don't even want to think about it.  I kind of wish this weekend didn't have to end.  I have no wish to go back to work Monday."

Dean's head swiveled back towards him, "No baby!  You aren't going back to work that soon.  Make sure before we leave here that you get something from your doctor making sure you have some time off to recover!"

"D, don't you think if I show up at your match that my boss will assume that I can work?" Seth asked.

"I don't care!  You're not going back there this soon!" Dean insisted.

Dropping it for now, Seth changed the subject, "Is Ro on his way?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, he's going to pack all of our stuff up and check us all out so we can just get right on the road."

Seth's response was interrupted as Dr. Jackson made his way back into the room, giving Seth his release papers as Dean quickly jumped in asking him about Seth going back to work.  Dean shot him a smirk as the doctor agreed that he should wait a bit, giving him a note that said he couldn't go back until the following week.

The second he left, Seth glared at Dean, "I hate you!"

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "Stop trying to butter me up Princess!" he joked, making Seth turn his back to him, staying silent as Dean just grinned and dropped into the seat next to him, turning on the tv and channel surfing as they waited for Roman to get there.

...

Roman watched confused as Seth followed him and Dean out to the car, pointedly speaking to Roman and not to Dean.  Throwing a look at Dean, he just shrugged as Seth slid into the backseat, shutting the door behind him.  The minute the door was closed, Dean turned to Roman asking, "Did you bring what I asked?"

Roman nodded, "Yeah, I stopped at the store on the way here and got a couple of pillows and a blanket.  I'm still not clear on why though?"

His question was answered as Dean grabbed them out of the truck and opened the back door of the car handing them into Seth, who took them with a weary look, "What?" he asked, confused.

"It's not that long of a trip, but you've been in a hospital bed for a few days baby, you need to stay comfortable and rest.  Try to lay down and get some sleep, alright?" Dean stated.

Seth's face dropped as Dean fussed over him, making him feel guilty.  Reaching up, Seth pulled Dean inside for a hug as he mumbled into his shoulder, "Sorry for being such a brat babe.  I just hate feeling helpless."

Dean lay a kiss on his temple, "I know Princess, but sometimes you've got to let people help you.  I know you hate missing work, but in this case, it's necessary," Dean's lips found his for a quick kiss before he moved back, shutting the door behind him and jumping in the passenger seat as Roman slid in to drive.

Sure enough, shortly after they were on the road, Seth had drifted off behind them, curled up in the blanket, his head resting on the pile of pillows making Dean smile.

...

Seth slept the whole way and Dean hated to wake him when they pulled into the hotel lot, but Dean gently reached out, giving him a little shake, "We're here baby."

Stretching with a sigh, Seth sit up and looked around sleepily, "That was quick!"

Dean agreed as he and Roman got out. Roman went to check them in while Dean grabbed a luggage cart, unloading the trunk as Seth stepped out beside him. 

Happy that they were able to get two rooms next to one another, the trio headed inside and parted in front of their mutual doors after grabbing their luggage, agreeing to meet up in a half hour for dinner before Roman and Dean headed out to the venue, Dean shutting down Seth's plan to come along, "You're going to get into bed and rest baby!  Find some trashy tv to get lost in and relax and I'll be back as soon as I can."

Seth pouted, but agreed as they headed into their room, making Roman laugh and shake his head at them.  He was glad to see that with everything they'd been through, they were still the same stubborn, passionate pair that they'd always been.  He'd really begun to worry that they wouldn't be able to get past everything, but they seemed to be doing just fine.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Seth was pushing Dean back against it as he settled into his arms, kissing him with all of the pent up feelings he'd been holding in since the second he'd seen Dean kissing Lily.  Picking up on his desperation, Dean reached around him and held on, letting Seth take control.

The second Seth's lips left his, Dean was picking him up in his arms and carrying him to the bathroom where he quickly helped him undress before depositing his own clothes as he leaned over to turn on the shower, adjusting it to the warm temperature they both enjoyed and stepping inside, holding his hand out to Seth's as he drew him in with him.

Seth sighed happily at the feel of the water thrashing against his aching skin.  The fact that he hadn't been able to clean up in days had been getting to him and the chance to not only get clean, but to be back in Dean's arms was almost more than he could take.

Gently, Dean ran the wash rag across every inch of skin available to him before quickly washing it over himself.  Setting it down, he drew Seth's back against his chest as he grabbed the shampoo and soaped up Seth's head, running his hair through his hands as Seth moaned and rubbed back against him.

Turning in his arms, Seth reached out and poured some of the shampoo into his own hands as he returned the favor, lathering up Dean's hair before they both washed it out, standing under the spray for a minute, just enjoying having a chance to hold one another without worrying about someone barging in on them.

Although tempted to kiss Seth again, Dean knew if he did, they'd never make it out to meet Roman so he forced himself to pull away, turning off the shower and stepping out, grabbing a towel and helping Seth out as he dried them both off.

Pulling him back into his arms, Dean pulled him to him, embracing him again as he whispered in his ear regretfully, "We better get dressed and head out."

Seth nodded, "Alright, but as soon as you get back, I'm going to show you just how much I appreciated everything you've done for me these last few days!"

Dean grinned, but stated, "Baby, you need to get some rest!"

Seth gave his side a little poke, "Actually, I asked the doctor about us having sex and he was pretty clear that as long as I don't overexert myself that it would be good for me, both physically and mentally."

Dean looked at him in astonishment, "You actually asked him that?"

Seth blushed as he shrugged, "Yeah, I mean I was a little embarrassed, but I knew that you'd try to hold back and I wanted the reassurance that it was okay."

Dean beamed at him, "God I love you Princess!"

Seth grinned back at him, "And you'll show me just how much later?"

Dean leaned forward, lightly nipping at his nose playfully, "Count on it baby!"

Satisfied, the pair dressed and headed to the hall to meet Roman before heading out to dinner.

...

Seth sighed as he made himself comfortable on the bed.  He'd had more than enough bed rest and television to last him a lifetime, but he knew that Dean was just looking out for him so he went along with his plan to appease him.

Sifting through the channels, he settled on a soccer game, only half watching as his mind whirled through all of the events of the last week.  He was so lost in his own head that he didn't hear the first knock at the door, but when the second came a little louder, he jumped, confused. 

Standing up, he opened the door, grinning as he revealed a boisterous Finn, who pulled him in for a hug, "Dean told us you were here and we just had to come check on you!"

"We?" Seth asked, looking around as Finn stepped aside.  He grinned as a bouncing Sami came into view, but he found himself freezing as behind him was the tall silhouette of Randy Orton.

He'd known that eventually he would end up having to have some contact with Patrick's best friend, but this was the last place or time that he could have imagined dealing with him. 

Throwing Finn a injured look, he turned back to the doorway.

"Hello Seth."


	62. Chapter 62

Composing himself, Seth took a deep breath and said hello, stepping back to let the three of them in. 

His heart was beating rapidly as Randy turned back towards him and said, "I hope it's okay that I'm here.  I was visiting Renee when I overheard Dean talking to your friends.  After he left, I joined them in the hall and I invited myself along."

Seth shrugged, "It's fine," he lied as he turned around and sat on the edge of the bed, urging them to sit on the small couch in the room, which Finn and Randy did as Sami pulled up one of the chairs and sat down.

"How are ya feeling?" Finn asked.

Seth shrugged again, "Better than I was.  Still tired, but the doctor said I'd probably still feel that way for a bit.  I'm just glad to be out of the hospital!"

"I bet!" Sami shared, standing up to come sit next to Seth as he pulled him in for a hug.  "Never scare us like that again, alright?"

Seth found a smile working its way onto his mouth at his friend's serious tone, "Yeah, sure, I'll try to make sure I duck next time!"

Sami rolled his eyes at him, "How about we make sure there is no next time?"

"You volunteering to be my bodyguard?" Seth gave him a playful nudge.

"Why not?" Sami snapped back.  "Are you saying I'm not bodyguard material?"

Seth's eyes met Finn's and they both burst into laughter, even drawing a smile from Randy as Seth responded, "That's exactly what I'm saying.  You don't exactly inspire fear buddy: you're the energizer bunny."

Sami gave all of them finger as he stated, "Fuck you all!"  Although he pretended to be angry, he was happy to be the one to break the tension in the room.

Feeling a bit more relaxed, Seth turned back to Randy, "How are you doing?"

Randy gave a nervous cough as he quietly stated, "I'm not really sure.  For the record, I know that what happened was all on Patrick.  He put all of you in that room with that gun and it was a accident that he took the bullet when the gun went off and I also know that the bullet you took was not a accident.  I'm well aware of what kind of person my best friend actually was, but that doesn't stop me from wondering if.  If we'd tried harder to get him help or someone, anyone had done one thing differently, would we still be here?"

Seth sighed as he looked at him, "I can understand that.  I can't say that I'm not grateful that he can never hurt anyone I care about again, but I wanted him to pay for his crimes by being locked up, not this.  I know you may not believe me, but there's a part of me that still cared for him.  The violent man he turned into wasn't the man I first met as a teenager all those years ago and I like to think that the man I came to know years later when we started dating was genuine.  I really hope that something went seriously wrong along the way, something that tipped him into madness.  It's the only thing that makes any sense to me," Seth shook his had sadly as he continued.  "Maybe if I had gone to the police when I ended up in the hospital, maybe he could have gotten the help he needed then."

Randy shook his head, "Renee made me see that everyone in this situation reacted to what they knew and saw.  I only saw the good side of my friend until recently and I know his family did the same.  We had no reason to believe that he was a danger to himself or anyone else.  We had blinders on even when we were confronted with what he did to you.  It was easy to dismiss it as a jealous ex trying to make him look bad.  You were beaten and terrorized and you were scared and pressured into making choices for both of you then.  We can't be sure that he would have been able to be helped even then.  We may still have ended up right here."

Seth looked at him in surprise, "That's a pretty generous way of looking at it."

Randy shrugged, "My head's a lot clearer now than it was a couple of days ago.  I just wanted you to know that if no one else does, at least I understand what really happened and I don't hold any blame towards you for anything."

Seth looked down as tears came to his eyes, "Thank you for that.  It means a lot to hear you of all people say that."

An awkward silence once again descended on the room, which had Sami and Finn squirming until the door suddenly opened, omitting Dean and Roman, who looked on in surprise as they noticed Randy sitting with their friends.

Dean immediately threw Seth a look, asking if he was alright.  As Seth gave a subtle nod, it was Roman's turn to break the tension in the room as he began chatting with Finn about the following day's pay per view, Sami and Randy jumping into the conversation as Seth stood up and joined Dean across the room. 

The second he was within arm's length, Dean was pulling him into a hug as he whispered, "Sorry Princess, I had no idea he was coming with them.  Why the hell is he even here?"

Seth shrugged as he whispered back, "Apparently he was visiting Renee and overheard you talking to the guys.  Afterwards, when he realized they were coming to see me, he asked to come along.  He's actually been surprisingly understanding about everything."

Dean frowned, "He better be. There's no reason for him not to be.  He saw Patrick's evil side up close and personal so he has no room to say anything to anyone."

Seth sighed, "Don't worry: Patrick's other friends and his family will have enough vitriol to go around."

"Yeah well they will have to go through me if they think they can come at you.  They'll find out real quick who they are messing with!" Dean stated instantly, giving Seth a gentle squeeze.

"I'm so glad you're back," Seth gasped as he burrowed into him even more.  "Can we please get rid of everyone?"

"Done," Dean promised. 

Leading Seth back to the bed, their friend's attention turned back to them.  With a grin, Dean said, "It's great that you all came to check on Seth, but he needs to get some rest so maybe we can all meet up for lunch tomorrow before the show?"

Roman smirked at them, "I'm sure the last thing Seth will be getting is any rest, but we're going.  Why don't we meet in the lobby around 1 tomorrow?"

Dean flipped him off as he agreed, "We'll see you then.  Thanks for today Uce."

Roman nodded as Finn and Sami gave Seth a hug and Randy shook his hand.  Before they parted, Seth leaned over and whispered to Dean, who turned back to the group and addressed Randy, "Are you staying for the pay per view?"

Randy nodded, "Yeah, but I'll probably spend most of it backstage with Renee I guess."

Dean shook his head, "Her schedule is pretty booked, but if you want to actually see the show, Seth and his friends are going to be watching from one of the suites if you'd like to join them."

Randy's eyebrows raised in surprise as he looked between him and Seth, "Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way?"

"Not at all," Seth responded.  "I'd like for you to come.  Better than hanging around by yourself most of the night."

Randy smiled at him, "Thanks, I'll do that."

As the door closed behind them, Seth slumped back on the bed in relief, "Should I feel guilty for being glad they're gone?"

Dean laughed as he jumped down next to him, jostling the bed, "Not at all: I subtly suggested they wait to see you until tomorrow, but your friends are pretty stubborn."

Seth laughed, "Says the world's most stubborn man!"

Dean poked him, "Hey, watch it!"

Seth giggled as he looked up at him, "Alone at last!"

Dean wiggled his eyebrows at him, "Whatever shall we do?"

Seth winked at him, "I can think of a few things..."

...

Seth lay back on the bed, watching as Dean moved across the room, the muscles flexing in his back as he fumbled through their luggage, trying to find the lube that he knew was there somewhere.  After everyone had left, Dean had drew them a bath and after relaxing a bit and lazily making out, they were back in the bedroom and ready to reunite in the best way possible.

Seth laughed as Dean mumbled to himself, "I will personally kill that asshole if he didn't pack it!"

"It was very nice of Roman to get our luggage together for us," Seth said in a gentle tone.

Dean waved his hands at him, "Yeah, yeah, tell me you feel the same when I have to leave here and go to the store to get us something to use because I am not going in dry.  You're hurt and I'm not going to add to that!"

Seth pouted at him, "But babe!"

"No!" Dean said pointing at him.  "You're not winning this one Princess; the puppy dog look isn't going to work!"

Seth continued to pout at him as Dean turned back around and checked the last bag, shouting in triumph as he found it stuffed in a pocket along with their deodorant and bath items.

Turning back to him, Dean stalked his way back across the room, tossing the lube at him, "Now we can do this!"

Seth turned his back on him playfully, "Maybe I'm not in the mood anymore."

Seth shivered as Dean crawled up the bed to lay beside him, his lips ghosting over his back and neck as he murmured, "We'll see about that."

As Dean's hands moved to his back and began to press in for a deep tissue massage, Seth moaned, "Not fair!"

"Who said I ever played fair baby?" Dean teased, leaning forward to lay a kiss on the tattoos running down his boyfriend's back.  "You know, you never did tell me when you got these."

Seth turned over a bit surprised by the question, "You've never really asked," he shared.

Dean shrugged, "I figured you'd tell me when you wanted to, but I am curious."

Sitting up, Seth blinked at him as he tried to get his mind back from the pool of lust that had begun growing inside of him at Dean's touch, "I've always loved tattoos and a lot of my crossfit friends have them, but my profession isn't exactly conducive to them and Patrick was dead set against me getting one.  The day I left him, I was devastated and searching for some meaning in my life, some reason to keep moving forward and Finn suggested a tattoo.  I was sitting there in the chair and I saw the samurai code in one of the guy's books and it just clicked for me," turning so his back was displayed for Dean again, he began to list the words.  "Integrity, respect, courage, honor, compassion, honesty, loyalty: all things that my life at that time was sorely lacking."

Dean's fingers drew against each of them as he softly stated, "All things that you display and then some."

Seth laughed, "Hardly, but I strive to honor the words."

Dean shook his hand, "You give me all of those things baby.  That's one-hundred percent the truth."

As Seth turned towards him, Dean could see the tears shining in his eyes as Seth reached a hand up to his face as he stared at him in awe once again, "I'll never know what I did to deserve you, but I couldn't have found anyone better who fits all of those things for me."

Dean's head ducked as he blushed, ready to issue a denial when Seth's hand pushed his head back up, their eyes meeting once again, "If you want me to accept your words, then you need to accept mine as well.  Maybe we just needed to find one another to put all of the pieces together."

Dean nodded, "Now that is definitely one thing we can agree on.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, but we belong together Seth.  I think we were made for one another."

With a soft sigh, Seth leaned forward, gently brushing his lips across his before pulling back for a moment, "Love you."

Pushing him back down and moving over him, Dean leaned down for his own kiss, a little more aggressive as he began to kiss down his throat, "Love you too.  I am so incredibly grateful that we are here right now together."

Seth murmured his agreement as Dean's lips continued to worship his body, making him squirm and moan as Dean's teeth nipped at him between his neck and shoulder.

Unconsciously, Seth pressed up against Dean, making them both groan as their groins pressed against one another.  Moving back up, Dean's lips captured Seth's once again, his tongue sweeping the interior of his mouth, exploring every available space.

"Fuck, you feel so good baby," he moaned.

Seth murmured his agreement as his hands moved down to explore Dean's exposed skin, "Need you inside D!"

Dean's body trembled at his tone, closing his eyes for a moment to keep himself under control.  Taking a deep breath, he opened them back up and shot Seth a look that clearly stated that he wasn't going to rush this, "I've got you baby, just lay back and let me take care of you," he urged.

Reluctantly, Seth acquiesced, letting his body rest back down against the covers as Dean moved down, his mouth trailing down until he reached the hair above his cock, gently twining it in his hands as he dug his teeth into his thigh, leaving a throbbing red mark behind, once again proclaiming Seth as his.

Reaching down, Seth drew his fingers across it, happy with the twinge of pain that followed.  For a few scary moments, he had believed that he'd never have this again and he was overwhelmed with just how amazing it felt to be in Dean's arms knowing that he wasn't going anywhere. 

Lily hadn't been able to take him away and Patrick hadn't been able to drive them apart.  They were stronger than ever and Seth truly believed now that nothing could part them.

He continued to moan and whimper as Dean took his time getting to where he wanted him.  His lips trailed down his legs as his hands rubbed his feet, before making his way back up them, stopping to push his legs up so he could trail his tongue behind his knees.

Letting them come to rest back down on the bed again, Dean finally got a hold of Seth's pulsing cock, which was already dripping wet in anticipation.  With a evil grin, he gave a few experimental strokes before letting go again, making Seth scream at him, "Suck me!"

"Patience Princess!" Dean teased.

"Fuck patience!" Seth shouted, reaching up and forceably pushing Dean's head down to where he needed him.  Dean's eyes bulged in shock, but he quickly got with the program, taking Seth down in one gulp as he started a furious pace.  Pulling back, he held his hand out to Seth, "Get me ready baby!"

Seth immediately grabbed the lube, coating Dean's fingers in it and groaning as Dean slid back down on his cock as he moved his fingers against his entrance.  Satisfied that he was ready for him, he began to slowly push in one finger before working in two more, hitting Seth's prostate a few times before drawing out and releasing his cock from his mouth, making Seth whine.

As Dean drew back, he laughed as Seth pulled him up until he could lean forward and lick across Dean's own pulsing dick before grabbing the lube again and getting him ready for him, "Please D, I'm ready!" he pleaded.

Feeling them both tipping towards that edge, Dean reached out, bracing himself against his chest, "Give me a minute babe or this going to be over before it even starts!"

Nodding, Seth drew him down for a chaste kiss before letting Dean's head rest against his chest, both of them listening to the other's heartbeat as they tried to calm down a bit.

Once he felt he could hold off his climax, Dean drew back up, looking down at his boyfriend with a grin, "Ready?"

"I've been ready for days babe!  Give it to me!" Seth went back to pleading, making Dean laugh as he moved into position, making them both moan as he slid back and forth across his entrance again before working his tip in. 

Reaching up, Seth drew him down for another kiss as Dean moved in and out until he was fully encased in Seth's heat, burying himself to the root.  He quickly established a steady rhythm as Seth's mouth greedily devoured his in unison to his thrusts.

The long awaited feel of his boyfriend's cock moving inside of him had tears running down his face and Dean drew back from his mouth, moving his along his face, lapping up the salty taste as he grinned down at him, "No more tears Princess: we're back where we belong."

"Home," Seth gasped as he thrust back up at him.

"Exactly," Dean agreed.  "Don't think I'm going to last much longer, are you ready to come for me baby?"

Seth nodded, "So ready!"

As Dean's mouth closed over his tenderly once again, Seth let himself go, his entire body melting down into a white blaze as he came with a shout, his cock pulsing one blast after another as the aftershocks pushed Dean into his own climax as he sobbed Seth's name.

Afterwards, neither of them were coherent enough for speech, but with his last bit of awareness, Dean rolled to his side, drawing Seth back into his arms as they both collapsed into darkness, their bodies succumbing to the exhaustion they'd both been battling for days.


	63. Chapter 63

Neither Dean or Seth woke throughout the night after having let go of all of the stress and worries that they'd been carrying for days.  Finally being back in one another's arms and safe had left them with a secure feeling that allowed them to finally get the much needed rest their bodies had been craving.

Thus, neither of them was prepared for the heavy knocking taking place on the hotel room door much earlier than they would have liked.  Groaning, Dean swore under his breath as he drew a groaning Seth closer to him, determined to ignore whoever it was and stay right where they were.

"Why?" Seth whined.  "Who the fuck would be here so damn early?  Didn't we tell them we'd meet them for lunch?"

As Dean's mind slowly woke up, he suddenly had a epiphany, "Oh fuck, babe you should go get that," he instructed.

Seth sat up, staring at him suspiciously, "Why?"

Dean just grinned up at him, "You'll see!"

Reluctantly, Seth began to move, grumbling the whole way as he grabbed his pants from the previous day and slipped them on before heading to the door and swinging it open.

From the bed, Dean laughed as he heard the barks and Seth's happy squeal, "Our babies!"

Sitting up against the headboard, Dean grinned as Seth sat down on his knees as the dogs assaulted him, their tongues bathing his face in kisses.  Looking over at Bayley standing behind them, Dean gave her a little wave, "Thanks again for taking care of them hun.  I'm sure I'll see you later, but good luck with your match.  You've got Alexa's number!"

Bayley grinned back at him, "It was my pleasure.  They were absolute darlings and thanks, I'm certainly going to try.  I can't wait to see your match as well.  We're all going to blow the roof off."

Dean nodded, "That's for damn sure!"

As Seth stood back up, he suddenly found himself with a armful of Bayley as she gave him a enthusiastic hug, "I'm so glad you're alright.  I would have come to see you, but I know the guys needed to be there for you and I figured if I could keep the dogs safe then at least I was being useful in some way.  Finn wants me to come visit and he mentioned that you were a crossfit instructor.  I've actually always wanted to check it out, but Tony kind of scares me so I was thinking maybe you could show me around when I come out.  Anyways, I guess I better get going.  The dogs are fed and walked and I've got to do a few things before lunch.  I guess we're all meeting up, right?"

Seth's head spun at her rambling, but he managed to reply, "Yeah, we'll be there.  I, um, thanks for everything Bayley, we really appreciate it!  Anytime you want to come to the gym, just let me know and I'll meet you up there."

Dean said goodbye as Seth shut the door and turned around with a shell shocked look on his face making him laugh at him, "Welcome to the hurricane that is our Bayley, baby!"

Seth just shook his head at him, "I didn't think it was possible to be that bubbly this early."

Dean just shrugged, "I don't get it either, but it works for her I guess.  So, ready to come back to bed?"

Before the words were even out of his mouth, Seth was already climbing up the bed, both of them laughing as Kevin and Blue piled up with him, quickly jumping on Dean and giving him the same welcome treatment they'd already subjected their other dad too.

"Hey boys, I missed you both!" Dean said as he pushed them down, rubbing their bellies simultaneously.  Dean smiled over at Seth, who was laying next to them, his head propped up on his hand as he silently observed the display.

Holding his hand out to him, Dean urged, "Come here."

With no hesitation, Seth let him draw him down to him until he was snugly in his arms again, the dogs moving around until they were both laid out in front of Seth, resting against his legs as they begged for attention.

Laughing, Seth and Dean each took turns giving them pets, content to just lay there for a bit and soaking up some much needed family time.

With a pleased sigh, Seth looked backwards at his boyfriend, "Hey," he said.

Dean just looked back at him with a grin, "Hey," he repeated.

Seth sat up for a kiss as he shared, "You make me so happy.  Our family makes me happy."

"Ditto," Dean said as he lay a kiss on his forehead.  "This right here is everything to me baby.  I love you."

Seth turned around so he could lay on his chest once more, "I love you too; love all three of you," Dean laughed as Seth patted the bed, causing the dogs to jump back over him and pile in between them, wrestling for their spot as Dean rolled his eyes at them.  "These two heavy monsters are going back in their beds tonight."

Seth just grinned at him, "We'll see," he murmured as he snuggled against him, closing his eyes.

Dean winced, knowing that both Seth and their animals had his number and that they'd no doubt find themselves with two sprawling animals at their feet once again.

...

They'd managed to get in a couple more hours of sleep before rising to take a shower and getting dressed.  With a little time to spare, they grabbed the dogs and ended up at a park near the hotel, playing frisbee with them for a bit before letting them run around as they snuggled up on a bench watching them play.

Before long, it was time to round them up and they headed back to the hotel and dropped them off before heading to the hotel restaurant for lunch, the rest of their gang already there.  Dean laughed as he saw that not only had Bayley been invited along, but Renee had joined Randy and Kevin was by Sami's side with Cesaro and Sheamus squeezed in next to him. 

Across the table Roman's cousins were arguing with Roman about something and Dean's smile widened as he saw Galina and Jo Jo were also seated next to him alongside Roman's parents.

Gripping Seth's hand tightly, Dean said, "Come on baby, I want you to meet my family!" as they made their way to the table, Dean's voice rang out loudly.  "Okay all, the party can start now that I'm here!"

Dean ducked as Roman threw a napkin at him, "Seth, doesn't your relationship get a bit crowded with Dean's enormous ego taking up that third spot?" he joked, making Seth giggle and Dean glare at him as he slid in and immediately began wrestling with Roman, moving the table around and causing Roman's mother and Galina to lean over and smack them both in the head.

Still giggling, Seth slid in next to him as Dean immediately grabbed his hand and turned to Roman's family, "Mom, Dad, Galina, this is Seth," Dean beamed at him as Roman's family smiled at them, clearly overjoyed to finally meet the man that their Dean was so over the moon about.

Leaning over, Roman's mother pulled a surprised Seth in for a hug as she whispered in his ear, "I am so happy to finally meet you.  I just want to say thank you for putting that smile on his face.  It's about time our boy found someone who appreciates him for the sweet man he is."

Heart in his throat, Seth rasped back, "You don't have to thank me for that.  Dean is my rock.  I should be thanking you for giving him the family he always wanted and needed."

As she pulled away from him, she pinched Seth's cheek, making him blush as she squealed at Dean, "I like this one, you better hold onto him!"

Dean grinned proudly at him as he promised, "Oh believe me mom, he's not getting away!"

As the rest of the table laughed at him, Roman's daughter got tired of waiting for someone to address her and crawled underneath it to get to Dean's lap where she proudly threw herself down with a, "Uncle Dean, I missed you!"  As Dean kissed her forehead, returning the sentiment, she turned to Seth, holding out her hand and loudly proclaiming, "I'm Joelle and I'm 7."

Shaking it solemnly, Seth responded, "I'm Seth and I'm very pleased to meet you."

Turning her head to the side, she observed him closely before asking, "Do you love my Uncle Dean?"

Nodding at her, Seth shared, "Very much so."

Before Dean could stop her, she was crawling from his lap into Seth's, her little hands circling his neck as she shared, "Good, he needs someone to love and take care of him the way mommy and daddy take care of each other."

The whole table smiled as Seth easily turned her around to sit comfortably on him as he shared, "Your uncle is very good at that.  I bet he learned a lot by taking care of you."

The little girl beamed up at him, "Uncle Dean's the best!  He takes me shopping and to the arcade and..."

"Jo Jo, I'm sure Seth doesn't need to hear every single thing that you and Uncle Dean have ever done together.  Get back over here and eat your food," Galina instructed, making the girl glare at her and Seth to frown. 

Shaking his head, Seth said, "She's not bothering me.  Can't she stay over here with us?  She can sit in between Dean and I."

With his words, Dean shot Seth one of those awe-filled looks that they were continuously giving one another.  Dean loved spending time with his friend's daughter and he'd hoped that she and Seth would get along, but seeing Seth instantly accept her the way he was made him melt inside.

Reaching over to grab his hand again, Dean gave it a squeeze before reaching out and helping him settle a happy Jo Jo in between them as her mother passed over her food.

After ordering some food for themselves, they turned to the rest of the table as everyone bantered back and forth, discussing the night's events, but Seth found himself splitting his time between being grilled by Roman's father and answering Jo Jo's numerous questions.

Although Dean had told him that Roman's dad came across as gruff, but was really a huge teddy bear, Seth still found himself nervously trying to prove his worth to him, knowing that these people were Dean's family in every sense of the word and that their opinions greatly mattered to him. 

Sensing his unease, Roman finally stepped in, "Dad, didn't you tell me that you picked up a new car?" 

The second the attention was off of him, Seth found himself slumping back in his seat with relief as Dean leaned over, "Sorry, this has got to be a bit overwhelming."

Seth shrugged, "It's time I met them.  You've got a lot of people who really care about you."

Dean nodded, "I do, but none of them measure up to the care and love that you give me everyday.  I love all of them and yeah, I care what they think, but they don't run my life.  I'm glad they love you, but if they didn't it wouldn't make a difference to me.  I know you and I know how you treat me and that's the only thing I need to know."

Seth looked down, blushing a bit as he whispered, "I feel the same way about you."

Dean grinned at him, "I know you do Princess."

Setting back up, Dean grabbed Jo Jo's place mat and began wrestling with her over her crayons, making both Roman and Seth roll their eyes at him as Roman's cousins started tossing stuff at Dean, making Jo Jo giggle.

Looking around, Seth smiled as he watched Finn and Bayley blushing as she snuggled up against his shoulder and Sami giggling as Kevin fed him french fries.  Next to them, Sheamus was leaning over Cesaro's shoulder as they looked at some music video on Tony's phone.  It was good to see their friends settling into relationships of their own. 

As he looked over at Renee and Randy, Dean leaned back over stating, "I had my doubts about his intentions, but they seem to be genuine."

Seth shrugged, "I did too, but it seems to be working out," Seth threw him a soft grin, "Looks like all of our friends are happy."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, maybe we're contagious!"

Seth just winked at him, "Maybe," he shared before their attention was captured by Roman, who asked everyone to be quiet since he had something to say.

Raising his glass, he shared, "I just want to thank everyone for being here for mine and D's moment.  It's been a long, hard road to get here and you all have played a part in helping us along the way."

As they began to toast, Dean couldn't resist putting in his two cents, "Yeah, what he said and let's also toast to kicking some Irish-Swiss ass!"

Knowing what was coming, Dean covered Jo Jo's ears as Cesaro and Sheamus began to grumble at him, "Fuck you!"

Amused, Seth watched the table erupt into chaos, everyone talking over one another.  Excusing himself for a moment, he headed towards the bathroom, only to find himself freezing as suddenly his parents were standing in front of him, "Mom, what are you doing here?" he asked, completely ignoring his father.

Coming forward for a hug, she shared, "We flew home after you let me know you'd been released, but I wasn't comfortable with you traveling back home alone tonight, so we're here to fly back with you."

Over at the table, Roman had looked up and seen what was going on and quickly, gave Dean a kick, "D, look!"

Groaning, Dean handed Jo Jo back over to her parents before hurrying over to his boyfriend's side,  catching the tail end of her words and Seth's answer, "Mom, that's really nice of you, but I'm not going home tonight.  The doctor asked me to take a week off before I return to work so I'm going to stay with Dean for RAW before we head home tomorrow."

They both chose to ignore the annoyed grunt from Seth's father as his mother frowned at them, "Baby, are you sure about that?  I know you want to be here for Dean tonight and the doctor signed off on it, but you should really be in bed resting."

Dean stepped forward, taking Seth's hand in his as he greeted his mom with a smile, "I tried to tell him that as well, but you know how stubborn he can be.  I've got him set up in a suite for the night and tomorrow he's staying back stage whether he likes it or not!"

Seth threw him a glare, but agreed, "I actually wanted to go back to work tomorrow, but my overprotective boyfriend and my doctor overruled me."

Seth's mom smiled at them, "I'm glad you have someone looking out for you."

Dean grinned back at her, "Always.  Since you're here, would you like to come to the show tonight?"

Before she could answer, Seth's father was talking over top of her, "We'd love to," he said with a insincere smile as he moved forward, staring Dean down.

Seth and Dean both stared at him in disbelief, but before they could respond, Roman and his family were suddenly at their side, "D, we're going back to the room for a bit before heading over to the venue."

Dean nodded at him, turning back to Seth's parents as he quickly introduced Roman's parents, wife and daughter to them, his voice like ice as he introduced Seth's dad.

Shaking his hand firmly, Roman's dad asked, "Will you be joining us for the show tonight?  We plan to watch my son and Dean's match from the front row, but Seth has graciously invited us to spend the rest of the evening in the suite with him and his friends."

Mouth forming a tight smile, Seth's dad stated, "Oh yes, we'll be there."

Next to him, Dean could feel Seth trembling and he knew he needed to get him out of there, turning to Seth's mom he stated, "Just give us a call when you get there and I'll make sure you are taken care of.  Seth and I need to get some stuff together, so we better get going."  Grabbing Seth's hand, Dean stopped back by the table to say goodbye to everyone else as Finn and Sami threw them sympathetic looks.

The second they exited and stepped into the elevator, Seth turned to Dean snapping, "What the fuck D?  How the hell could you let this happen?"

Dean was astonished by the venom in his voice, "I didn't let anything happen!  I invited your mother, not that asshole.  You could have stepped in and shut him down!"

"And embarrass us in front of your family?  No way!" he yelled back.  "How the fuck am I supposed to give a statement with him breathing over my back?  Fuck!  This is a disaster!" he slumped back against the wall as his breathing got heavy, making Dean instantly feel guilty and move towards his side.

"Hey Princess, you're getting too worked up, don't let that fucker win!  That's exactly what he wants!  He wants to embarrass you and make you feel guilty.  He wants to drive a wedge between us so he can step in and take control, but we're stronger than that!  We can beat him at his own game, alright?" Dean stroked his cheek gently, relieved when Seth gave a sigh and let his head slump down onto Dean's shoulder.  As the doors opened on their floor, Seth slid his hand into Dean's and pulled him along to the room.

Inside, he turned back towards him, "I'm sorry for taking my anger and anxiety out on you babe, but I hate this!  I hate that he can still make me feel like a scared, insecure little boy when I'm around him."

Pulling him back into his arms, Dean urged, "Then don't let him do it!  Remember that you're Seth freaking Rollins: confident lawyer, hot boyfriend, caring friend and Crossfit extraordinaire."

Dean grinned as Seth tried to hold in his laughter, "Aha, there's that smile I love so much and that dorky snorting!  Fuck him baby!  What he thinks and wants doesn't matter and at least if he's here with us, we know exactly what he's up to."

Nodding, Seth leaned up for a kiss, "Thanks for talking me down D."

Dean shrugged, "It's what we do, right?"

Seth grinned at him, "Right!"

Pulling back, he shot Seth a shit eating grin, "So...looks like we got a little bit of free time before I have to meet up with Ro, how about some make up sex?"

Pulling away from him, Seth took off his shirt, throwing it at him and hitting him in the face with it as he turned and headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower, "What's taking you so long?" he yelled, making Dean smile as he quickly followed along.

...

Seth had been overjoyed when Dean had told him that they wouldn't have to lock up the dogs in Dean's locker room, but that he'd gotten permission to have them in the suite.  To Seth it felt like having two more allies on his side when Dean would be in the ring.

The pair met up with Roman and his family at the venue before taking a little time at the gym before they all piled into the suite, enjoying hanging out and chatting before Dean and Roman headed to meet up with Cesaro, Sheamus and Hunter to go over their match once again.

Seth smiled as he watched Randy and Renee making out before she had to go get ready for her pre-show duties.  Stepping over to him, he gave Randy a little nudge, "She's got your wrapped around her finger!" he teased.

Randy nudged him back, "No more than Dean does you!" he fired back.

Seth shrugged, "Guilty as charged!"

As time passed, a bunch of the wrestlers came in and out to say hi and Kevin and Bayley hung out until they had to go get ready for their own respective matches.

Looking out over the crowd, Seth grinned as a pair of arms suddenly slid around his back, "Nice view, isn't it?" Dean asked.

"It really is," he answered as he turned around and slid his arms around Dean's back, "Nervous?" he asked.

Dean nodded, "Always.  i think the day I'm not is the day I know that the fire just isn't there anymore, but yeah, this one's a little more intimidating, but we're ready for it.  Knowing that you're here supporting me really helps."

Seth grinned, leaning up for a kiss, wincing as his father interrupted, "Is this the way you act in your own workplace son or is this just reserved for showcases like this?" he asked sarcastically.

Turning towards him, Seth answered, "Actually, I have no problem showing my affection for my boyfriend wherever we are dad.  I'm sure mom would appreciate it if you showed a little more interest in her than you do!"

Dean grinned as Mrs. Rollins turned trying to hide a smile as her son shut his father down.  Striding forward, she gave Dean a hug, "Thanks again for having us and good luck tonight!"

Dean blushed a little at the attention, "It's nothing, really.  I'm glad you can be here with Seth and thanks."

Dean and Seth shared a laugh as his father stomped off over to the bar to get a drink as his mom shuffled after him with a sigh.

Leaning over to him, Dean nipped at his ear, "You have no idea how hot that was seeing you stand up to him like that!" 

Seth grinned, leaning up and trailing his lips across Dean's throat, "How hot?"

They both groaned as they were interrupted once again, this time by Hunter, "Seth, good to have you here!  I was so glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery and I just wanted to apologize for anything my father-in-law or I may have said or done that made it seem like we didn't care.  We were just a little overwhelmed at the whole situation."

Seth waved his hands at him, "It's forgotten.  I understand that there was a lot of time and money riding on Dean's match tonight.  I'm just glad that it has all worked out."

Nodding brusquely, Hunter turned towards Dean, "Now, since you're both here right now, I have a couple of reporters outside who would love to talk to you both.  Are you ready to make your statement now?"

Dean's eyes met Seth's, silently asking if he was okay as Seth nodded back at him, taking a deep breath as he turned back to Dean's boss, "We're ready."

Setting them up in a corner of the room on some couches as the dogs piled on their laps, Dean talked a bit about the show and his match before they talked about the events that happened the night Seth was shot and Patrick was killed.

Stating the facts, they laid it out carefully and Seth shared his sympathy for Patrick's family and friends because there was a time when he was both to him and although Patrick had slowly spiraled out of control, there was a time when he was a genuinely good person.

He winced as his father suddenly joined them, "That young man's life was snuffed out way too soon.  It's a shame that he didn't get the clear help that he needed beforehand."

As the reporters turned towards him, beginning to pepper him with questions, Randy suddenly strode across the room, jumping into the conversation, "Excuse me, I was wondering if I could say some words as well.  Patrick was my best friend and I just wanted to share my thoughts."

Seth's dad threw a satisfied look at Dean, convinced that his devious plan to break Seth down until he asked for his help was getting a jump start from Randy, but his eyes bulged at Randy's words.

"Patrick was my best friend since childhood and what Seth said is true: Patrick could be a great friend and person, but somewhere along the way he let darkness into his life and he lost control.  He hurt a lot of people and he became a danger to himself and others.  Unfortunately, many of us didn't see it until it was too late and his actions led to his death," he shared.

"And you have no hard feelings towards the man who shot him?" one of the reporters asked.

Randy glared at her, "First of all, Seth didn't shoot him, the gun went off during a struggle and hit him.  It could have easily been Seth who took the bullet after my friend had already shot him.  I recently stood in a room with my best friend and stared down the barrel of his gun.  I am clearly aware of what he was capable of and I just wish that I'd done more so we wouldn't be here now.  This whole situation was one tragic accident and I just hope that everyone involved can honor the man Patrick used to be and not the one he became."

Satisfied, they left, leaving everyone a bit uncomfortable and Hunter smiling as he patted Dean and Seth's shoulders, "Nice job, both of you!  And thank you Randall.  Renee has nothing but good things to say about you and you really saved our asses here tonight.  You're welcome here anytime.  Now, I've got a photographer snapping some pics here, backstage and in the ring throughout the night so don't be surprised if some pics of all of you pop up.  Does anyone have a problem with that?"

When no one said anything, he made his exit as Seth suddenly stood up and walked out of the room, Dean quickly on his tail.  Catching up to him in the hall, Dean turned him around, "Hey baby, talk to me!"

Looking at him, Seth's eyes welled up with tears, "I just...I don't...I need..."

Making a quick decision, Dean looked at the time, "Come on Princess, I'm not needed for a little bit.  If you don't mind missing the start of the show, we can go hang out in the locker room for a bit.  I'll make sure that Finn keeps an eye on the dogs for us," as he talked, he pulled out his phone and shot Finn a quick text as he pulled his boyfriend along with his other hand.

Inside, Dean was surprised as Seth pushed him up against the door, "Can I have you D?" he asked.

Dean's breathing stuttered as he looked at the shattered expression on Seth's face, clearly he was looking to use Dean as a distraction and he was more than okay with that, "Anytime baby, you know that!"

A little grin breaking through the clouds covering his face, Seth shared, "I want you up against the door the way you did me."

Not even answering, Dean just began shedding his clothes as Seth began to lose his.  Satisfied when they were both completely naked, Seth stepped forward, pushing Dean up as he wrapped his legs around his waist, both letting out groans as their dicks touched, instantly hardening up.

"Fuck," Seth's voice broke.  "How do you always feel so good?"

"We do," Dean stated.  "Take what you need baby, take everything I have to offer."

Not needing to be told twice, Seth grabbed his head as he aggressively took his lips, plundering inside with his tongue as he began a push and pull with Dean's body, thrusting back and up at him as their dicks continued to frot against one another, their mouths swallowing their moans. 

It didn't take much to push them both into orgasms, their shouts echoing through the silent room and making them laugh as they collapsed to the floor, Seth sliding into Dean's lap as they rested back up against the door.

Stroking Seth's head, Dean shared, "I'm so damn proud of you baby, more and more everyday.  You're so damn strong, so much stronger than I've ever been!  We're going to get through this together and we're going to come out on the other side stronger than we ever were, do you know why?"

"Because we belong together?" Seth lay a kiss on his collar bone.

Dean laughed, "So you do listen to me?  Yes, there's that, but also because we deserve it.  We've both been through hell to get here and we've managed to make it through all of it.  The world kind of owes us at this point!"

Seth giggled against him, "I love you D.  You're not the only one who is proud.  Now, come on, let's get dressed and you can go bring that shiny belt home!"

Dean threw his head back with a laugh, "Don't worry baby, you'll get a up close and personal view of that belt tonight," Dean gave him a little nudge as Seth blushed, his mind already pulling up images of Dean riding him with the belt across his waist.


	64. Chapter 64

The pair quietly slipped back into the suite, finding Bo had joined them.  As Dean moved to go chat with Roman's family, who were seated with Seth's friends watching the show, Seth stepped over to where Bo was currently crouched down throwing a tennis ball around for the dogs to fetch for him.

"Hey, I was wondering why I hadn't seen you!" he exclaimed, making Bo beam up at him and stand up.

"Hey!  Yeah Roman invited me to lunch, but I had some signing stuff I had to do.  I definitely wanted to stop by while you were here and get in some dog time though," he explained.

Seth nodded, "I'm glad.  You and Blue seem well acquainted and I think Kevin's your new BFF," he said with a smirk.

Bo snickered at him, "Yeah Blue and I are old buddies and don't worry, I'll try not to kidnap them, but maybe we can set up another play date soon!"

"Anytime!" Seth giggled.

Bo patted his shoulder as he looked a bit more seriously at him, "How are you feeling?  I really wanted to come visit, but Hunter was already freaking out with everyone gone so I stuck around and worked a couple of extra matches."

"Don't worry about it.  Dean told me you called to check up on me and I got the candy basket you sent me.  Believe me: it really came in handy with how terrible the food there was.  Between your snacks and Roman bringing me food, I managed to mostly avoid it," Seth shared.

Bo grinned again, "I'm glad!  You know I've been friends with D for a long time and in all that time I've never seen him as happy as he is now.  You're really good for him and from what Roman's told me, the same can be said on your end.  I know things have been really rough for you two, but the fact that you've managed to get through all of it just means that you guys are that much stronger.  Hold onto that," he said as he patted Seth's shoulder again.

"Thanks man, we intend to!" Seth found that he was really starting to like the man.  Although quiet-spoken, he always seemed to be on point when he had something to say and his positive energy seemed to flow out to everyone around him.  Plus he was a dog person and you could never go wrong with one of those in Seth's opinion.

Across the room, Dean's attention was drawn away from the scene by Roman, who threw his arm around his shoulder as he teased, "Can't be apart for more than a few seconds Uce?"

Dean elbowed him, drawing a grunt from his friend, "It's just nice to see him opening up to someone new.  He was so closed off when we met and you didn't help with your over-the-top reception."

Roman glared at him, "I was wrong, alright?  Can't we let that go?"

Dean shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not."

Roman rolled his eyes at him, "Asshole!"

Dean grinned widely at him, "That's me!  Sure you want to share a championship with me Uce?"

Giving his shoulder another squeeze, Roman responded with, "Damn straight!" as he held out his fist towards his, the pair bumping them as they shared a meaningful look that spoke of all of the hard work, long days and long drives that had led them up to this moment.

The moment was broken as flashes went off in their faces, making them turn around and see the culprits: both Roman's mom and his wife taking pictures of the pair.  Everyone laughed as Jo Jo suddenly jumped up and ran to her father, lifting her arms up and exclaiming, "You can't take pictures without me!"

Face softening, Roman swung her up onto his side as Dean moved to their side and the trio posed for a round of pics before he turned and called for his boyfriend, "Get over here baby and get some before pics with me!"

Embarrassed as everyone's attention turned to him, his friends, his mom and Dean's family smiling at him while his father glared, Seth slowly made his way over, giving Dean's arm a little pinch as he slid into the next photo, Dean wrapping him up in his arms as he leaned down and whispered into his ear, "Now, now Princess, don't be shy."

"I hate you," Seth said with a smile.

"No you don't," Dean answered back, releasing him as the others crowded around and everyone started pairing off for more photos.  Leaning back over to him, Dean said, "Have your mom come over.  I'd love for us to get one with both of our moms."

Surprised, but pleased, Seth wandered over to his parents, "How are you guys enjoying the show?" he asked politely.

Seth's mother grinned at him, "It's eye-opening, that's for sure!  We've been chatting with some of Dean's friends and there's definitely a lot more that goes into this than I ever realized."

Seth nodded, "Yeah until you see the behind the scenes stuff, you don't really think about all of the hard work that just goes into the setup every night, not to mention all of the training and setting up the moves and trying to keep everyone as safe as possible," as his mother nodded, he saw her nudge his father's side.

"It's impressive, isn't it hun?" she asked.

Seth's dad shrugged, "It's different."

Seth hid his smile, coming from his father that was almost like a rousing endorsement.  Deciding to go for it, he asked, "I was wondering if you guys would like to get a picture with me and then Dean and I were thinking we could take one with just the moms?"

Nodding, his mom dragged his father along where he reluctantly lined up for a photo with his son and wife before quickly sliding away as Dean slid in with Roman's mom  As soon as the pic was snapped, Dean pulled Seth to the side as he asked, "Did your dad really just stand near me and not make a snide remark?"

Seth laughed, "Yeah, yeah I think he did.  He even called all of this interesting."

Dean's eyebrows rose, "Wow, high praise from the dick!" he said without thinking, earning him a poke from Seth, who tried to control his own smile at the remark, "You better not let my mom hear you talking like that!"

Dean chuckled, "I better not let Ro's hear me either, I've already been on the wrong end of her hand too many times before!"

Seth grinned as he snuggled into Dean's arms, "I'm so glad that you have them.  They really treat you like one of their own."

Dean's expression softened as he looked over at them, "It's been like that since day one.  It was like the second that Roman accepted me as his brother, the rest just stepped in.  His cousins tease me the same way they do Ro and his parents and wife always try to include me in all the family holidays and stuff.  It's nice having the family I never had myself, but it's even nicer to be building one of my own," he turned back to his boyfriend, leaning down for a gentle kiss.

"I love you," Seth shared as he looked up at him with clear devotion.  "I had a family growing up, but they were so closed off to me.  I knew they loved me, but it wasn't until I found you that I realized what the word truly meant."

Resting his forehead against Seth's, Dean whispered, "I've never loved anyone the way I love you Princess."

"And you never will!" Seth said sternly.

Dean's eyes widened at his possessive tone, feeling a delicious shiver run through his body, "Marking your territory baby?" he asked.

Leaning up to whisper in his ear, Seth shared, "I don't need to because you're already mine, aren't you?"

Dean nodded helplessly as he responded, "The same way you're mine.  Fuck baby, think they'll miss us if we leave again?"

Before Seth could answer, they were interrupted by Finn's shout, "Bayley's match is up next!"

With a sigh, Seth looked regretfully at his boyfriend, "Guess that's our cue.  Save that thought for after the show!"

Dean moaned pitifully, but took the hand Seth was offering as he followed him over to the seats where they all piled in to cheer Bayley on as she picked up a win over Alexa Bliss, earning her a upcoming shot at Charlotte Flair's championship.  As she walked back up the ramp to cheers, she threw a smile up at them, making Finn blush and Seth and Sami to tease him.

"Fuck ya both!" Finn hissed before turning to Sami.  "By tha way, when are ya going to give us the story of how ya and Kevin hooked up?"

Seth grinned as he jumped in his seat enthusiastically, "Yes, when are you?  I've been waiting to hear this for days, but I haven't been able to get you alone!"  They both laughed as Sami's face turned tomato red.

"Why am I friends with you guys again?" he asked.  "Fuck, it just kind of happened, alright?  We've been calling and texting and we actually have more in common than you would think.  I like him," he shrugged.

Seth patted his shoulder reassuringly, "I'm happy for you man, I really am!  As long as he treats you right, then I'm all for it."

"Me too, even if I don't get it," Finn chimed in.

"I'm just glad that you've given him what he wants so he'll leave me and Ro alone!" Dean had to put his own two cents in, making all three of them glare at him.  "What?" he asked innocently, wincing as Roman punched his shoulder.  "Fuck, why do you all insist on doing that?"

Roman threw him a smirk, "Asshole, remember?"

Dean just stuck his tongue out at him as they turned back around as Kevin and Chris' music hit.  They were all subsequently caught up in the hard-hitting match with the New Day that followed.  Although it looked like Kevin was about to be pinned by Big E, Chris jumped in for the save and with some distraction, allowed Kevin time to get his own pin and the win.

As the pair of heels celebrated down the ramp to a chorus of boos from the crowd, Kevin suddenly turned and looked up and blew a kiss Sami's way, making him blush even further to the amusement of all those around him.

Bo announced that he had to go get ready for his own match against Dolph Ziggler and they all offered him good luck.  Unfortunately, after a low blow from Ziggler, he was pinned for a loss, making them all boo at Ziggler as he left the ring.

Standing up to stretch, Roman threw Dean a grin, "Well Uce, we better go get ready ourselves."

Nodding, Dean stood up as everyone gave them their own well wishes.  As he moved away from the group, Seth stood up to follow him, the pair sharing their own private moment before he left.  As Seth rested in his arms, Dean kissed his temple, "I'm so glad you're here with me."

"Me too," Seth responded, gripping him tightly.  "I am so fucking proud of you.  I can't wait to see that belt around your waist!"

Stealing one more kiss before Roman grabbed him by his collar and pulled him along, Dean gave Seth a wave before he disappeared, "Be back soon baby!"

As Seth turned back, he found Roman's family heading out to make their way down to their seats at the front of the venue and was surprised when Roman's mother and Galina stopped to give him hugs.

Jo Jo frowned when she realized he wasn't coming with them, "Why aren't you sitting with us Seth?  I bet Uncle Dean wants you to."

Crouching down to her level, Seth explained, "I just got out of the hospital and the doctor told me I had to stay out of the crowd.  That's why I'm up here watching the show.  I couldn't miss your dad and Dean's moment."

"Are you okay?" she asked a bit tearfully.

Seth nodded, "I'm doing much better, but the doctor just wants me to be careful.  Thank you for worrying about me though."

Wrapping her arms around his neck for her own hug, she stated, "I like you and Uncle Dean likes you so that means you need to stay healthy."

Seth grinned at her as he gave her a salute, "Will do."

As Seth sat back down next to his friends, he had to take a double take at the looks he was getting from his parents and his friends, "What?" he asked.

Finn shrugged, "Nothing man, it's just funny how she already has ya wrapped around her finger."

Seth frowned, "Is that a bad thing?"

Sami shook his head, "Not at all man.  It's cute."

Seth wrinkled his nose, "Cute?"

Next to him, his mother began to laugh, "You know it's okay to be called cute dear.  It's not threatening your masculinity at all, right boys?" she asked, making Finn and Sami agree with her.

A grumble came from his father, making Seth turn to him, "What was that?"

Flinching at his wife's glare, he responded, "Nothing.  She seems like a good kid."

Seth blushed as his mom pulled him in for a hug, exclaiming, "I always knew you'd make a good father.  Maybe one of these days I'll get to see it firsthand."

Looking down, Seth's voice lowered as he said, "Maybe.  We haven't really talked about it, but I think I'd like to raise a kid with Dean."

His mom smiled at him, "You have plenty of time baby.  Just enjoy this time with Dean because before you know it, your life will have blown by.  You have to cherish all of the small memories," looking back she reached over to squeeze her husband's hand, who surprisingly smiled back at her and squeezed back.

Unaccustomed to seeing his parent's show affection to one another, Seth stared on in disbelief, but his attention was drawn away when The Shield's music hit and Dean and Roman appeared at the top of the stairs just on the other side of the suite, making Seth grin as Dean winked over at him, letting him know that they'd chosen the location on purpose.

As the pair made their way down to the ring, drawing a rousing round of cheers from the crowd, their music cut off prematurely as Cesaro and Sheamus came out before they were supposed to, rushing to the ring where they lined up against The Shield, sharing glares all around.

Dean and Cesaro kicked off the match, hands lacing up as they tried to out muscle one another before they began to pound on one another.  Cesaro caught Dean off guard with a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker before Dean jumped up and caught him with a running knee lift, jumping to tag Roman in.

Roman caught Cesaro before he could make a tag of his own, but Tony eventually gave him the slip and managed to reach Sheamus, who immediately came in and took Roman down with a series of punches, catching him with a Brogue kick, but Roman kicked out of the pin and caught him with a Superman punch that laid him out for a pin of his own.

Sheamus kicked out at the two-count and then he and Roman proceeded to battle back and forth, getting the crowd pumped up as they booed every time one of Sheamus' moves worked and cheered whenever Roman got the upper hand.

Upstairs, Seth was caught up in the match as Dean ended back up in the ring and immediately took a beating as Cesaro and Sheamus teamed up to attack him before Roman drove Sheamus back to the outside and the pair began fighting outside of the ring, ending with Roman spearing him into the announcer's table.

As Cesaro ran to his aid, Dean took a flying leap out of the ring and landed right on top of Cesaro as he began to drive a series of punches into him.

Eventually, the action ended up back in the ring as Roman and Sheamus were once again tagged back in and Roman began to work on Sheamus' injured back, much to the delight of the crowd and a laughing Dean, who was pounding on the ring ropes, amping them up.

As Cesaro was tagged back in, Roman caught him with a leaping clothesline, pacing to the ring corner and howling at the crowd before spearing him the second he got up.  Turning to Dean with a grin, he beckoned him with a tag and together they lifted Tony up for a double power bomb before Roman headed back to his corner, leaving Dean to finish things off.

Turning to the crowd with a grin, Dean shook the ropes before throwing a grin up at the suite, making Seth's heart beat rapidly.  He found himself gripping the seat railing as Dean turned around, waiting for Cesaro to attempt to get off before grabbing him and dropping him back down with a fiery Dirty Deeds and pinning him.

As the entire arena counted along with the referee, everyone jumped to their feet as the bell rang and Dean and Roman were announced as the new WWE Tag Team champions.  As Sheamus dragged Cesaro out of the ring, continuing to glare at The Shield, Roman leapt into the ring and into a hug with Dean as their belts were brought to them.

Turning around, the pair held them up, playing to the crowd.  Grabbing a mic, Roman shouted, "This is for all of you!  The Hounds of Justice have spoken.  We're the champs and we're here to stay!  I also want to thank my family who have been here every step of the way!"

He handed the mic to Dean, who immediately raised the belt again, "We run this place.  We gave notice to everyone here, but no one wanted to listen!  Well, what do you all think of us now?  The Lunatic Fringe and The Big Dog aren't going anywhere so you better get used to it!  We wouldn't be here now without all of you though, so thank you!" Dean grinned as the crowd cheered, starting a Shield chant.

Looking up, Dean suddenly held the belt towards Seth, "And thank you Seth for being here for me, for being so strong and for giving me all of your love and support. This is as much yours as it is mine!"

As the crowd looked upwards, many of them were able to pick Seth out and a cheer rose as they watched Seth blow Dean a kiss, ducking his head shyly as he realized all eyes were on him.  Taking a deep breath, he made himself look back down at Dean and his eyes stayed glued to his as he and Roman exited the ring, stopping to high five and shake hands with the crowd, even taking some pictures along the way.

Seth looked over as Finn gave him a nudge, "Ya should go meet him in Gorilla."

"You think?" Seth asked.

Finn and Sami both nodded as Finn shared, "I think he'd love it if ya were the first thing he sees when he makes it back."

Warming up to the idea, Seth excused himself and quickly made his way out of the suite and down into the backstage area.  As he moved up to the entrance, he didn't see Hunter watching him with a pleased smile on his face, nor did he notice the cameraman he sent to capture the moment.

As Dean and Roman came through, Jo Jo in Roman's arms, they were met with cheers by the gathered superstars who were out to show them some respect, but all Dean could see was his boyfriend beaming at him.  Ignoring everyone else, he made his way towards him as Seth sped up his own pace as he jumped into his arms, Dean swinging him around before bringing him down for a intense kiss that left them both breathless.

Drawing back, Dean looked down at him, his eyes twinkling, "That's the best greeting I've ever had."

"Yeah, well you deserve the best champ!" Seth teased, grinning as he finally got Dean to blush.

"I already have the best Princess," Dean whispered, reaching out to stroke his cheek gently.  As Dean looked down at his world, he found the words coming out before he could really even think about it, "Marry me."

Seth's eyes bulged, "What?"

Suddenly looking like a deer in headlights, Dean looked down, "Sorry, forget I said anything."

Seth shook his head as he reached over, raising Dean's head until his eyes met his own, "No, I won't.  Ask me again."

Taking a deep breath, Dean suddenly dropped to his knee, "I can't imagine my life without you at this point Seth.  I love you and I want you to be my husband.  This isn't exactly how I planned it, but here goes nothing:  Princess, will you be do me the honor of becoming my husband?"

Tears spilling down his face, Seth did the only thing he could do at that point as he opened his mouth and answered, "You are my life Dean.  Of course I'll marry you!"

Falling to his own knees, Seth drew Dean in for another passionate kiss as they whispered their love for one another.

Beaming behind them, Roman found himself wiping away his own tears as the others whooped it up and Hunter stood in the corner beaming as he imagined playing the proposal video for the world the next night on RAW.  The ratings were going to go through the roof!


	65. Chapter 65

As the party moved upstairs to the suite, Seth found himself in a daze as Dean's hand gripped his own, pulling him along.  Looking over at Dean with a hint of disbelief, he replayed the moment in his head.  _"_ _Marry me!"_

Dean had looked so surprised when the words had slipped out and then had looked so frightened that Seth couldn't help but reassure him.  Still nothing could have prepared him for seeing Dean on his knees before him, saying the words that he'd dreamed about hearing almost from the moment he'd met him.

Giving Dean's hand a squeeze, he blushed as Dean winked at him and suddenly threw his belt to a surprised Roman and then drew Seth away from the group and down the hall, pulling him into a empty supply closet.  In the darkness, Seth began to laugh, "What are we doing D?"

"Having a private moment alone," Dean's voice boomed out.  "Not sure if you noticed, but Hunter's camera guy has been following us around since I got to Gorilla."

"What?" Seth said with a hint of panic.

"Hey, if you're not cool with it, I'll shut them down right now and I'll make sure that footage never sees the light of day!" Dean immediately moved to reassure him.

"I, I guess it's alright, I just don't want people to think that I'm celebrating when Patrick is gone, you know?  I can already hear Patrick's father now," Seth's voice shook.

Still holding hands, Dean reached up with the other one and drew Seth into his arms, "Hey, you don't need to feel guilty for moving on with your life!  You deserve happiness baby, we both do!"

Seth sighed as he lay his head on his shoulder, "You're right, but I'm just afraid to go home and deal with the shit storm that's waiting for me.  I was already dreading it, but this is just going to make things worse."

Running his hand up and down his back gently, Dean asked quietly, "Do you want to hold off on making this public?  Nobody who was in Gorilla would have a problem keeping quiet.  We can wait to announce it when things have calmed down."

Hearing the hurt in his voice made Seth flinch as he squeezed Dean tightly and shouted, "No!  I want people to know how happy you've made me babe, I really do.  I'm done living my life for everybody else.  If there's one positive that came from all of this, it's that I realize just how much I have to lose and how precious every single second is.  I don't want to waste anytime that I can have with you and our boys.  I'm so proud to be your fiance D!"

Relief flooding through him, Dean moved back, leaning down and gently tilting his head up for a kiss, "Fuck anyone who has anything to say about us Princess!  It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.  I love you and you love me and we're going to spend the rest of our lives together.  That means we have one another's backs and no matter what anyone throws at us, we'll figure it out together, alright?"

Seth nodded, "I know and I am so grateful to have you with me D.  As long as I have your support, I can handle anything."

"Damn straight!" Dean stated.  "Now, something you said earlier caught my attention and I was thinking you could repeat it?"

"What's that?' Seth asked confusedly. 

"You said you were proud to be my certain something," Dean said shyly, his face turning away from Seth's even though he couldn't see him in the darkness.

Suddenly understanding, Seth reached up, his hand turning Dean's face back towards his as he stole another kiss before smiling as he boastfully stated, "I'm your fiance and you're mine.  I'm proud to be spending the rest of my life with the sexiest, funniest, kindest man I've ever met, even if you are a brat sometimes!"

Seth chuckled as Dean's fingers pinched his side, "Hey!" Dean shouted, pretending to be offended as he moved away from him. 

Giggling, Seth reached out and pulled him back towards him, "Too late, you're not getting away now!'

Dean just shook his head, bemused, "You couldn't lose me if you tried!" he promised.  With a happy sigh, he tilted Seth's mouth back up to his as his tongue slid across his lips, begging for entrance.  Happy to grant it, Seth opened wide as his own battled with his for dominance, both of them eager to explore the other's mouth.

They both jumped when someone pounded at the door and then groaned when Roman's voice boomed out, "Save it for later Uce, I'm not going to be the one to break the news to our families!  Hunter and the rest already headed to the suite and I made them promise not to say anything, but you know eventually someone will break."

With a sigh, Dean gave Seth's shoulder a squeeze, "We'll pick this up later Princess!  We still have to celebrate my win properly," he brushed his lips against his once again before reluctantly pulling back until just their hands were linked once again.

Opening the door, Dean gave a smirking Roman the finger as he chuckled at them.  He just laughed and tossed Dean's belt back over his shoulder, his still proudly displayed over his own.

As the trio stepped into the suite, a roar went up as their friends and family crowded around Dean and Roman to admire their belts.

Shoved aside for the moment, Seth made his way over to a couch on the side of the room as he collapsed down, a bit overwhelmed with everything. 

Naturally, his peaceful moment was interrupted as a smiling Hunter sat down next to him, "Congratulations!" Hunter looked around carefully before leaning over and whispering, "So Roman thought it would be a good idea to let you and Dean know that we filmed the proposal.  Now if I have my way, it'll air on RAW tomorrow and kick up even more interest and attention on their win tonight, but Roman seems to think you'd be uncomfortable with that.  I know most people think my father-in-law and I are only concerned with ratings, but I would never do anything without everyone's okay.  That being said, do you think we can capitalize on this?"

With a sigh, Seth shared, "Dean and I already talked about this and although I'm not exactly comfortable with it, we have no intention of hiding from anyone.  If you want to share it, go ahead.  Besides, we all already agreed to the cameras being around in the first place and if it will help Dean's championship run then I'll deal with it.  I do have one favor to ask though."

Content with his response, a smiling Hunter responded, "Name it."

"Can we get copies of any photos or videos that were taken tonight?" Seth asked.

"Done," Hunter said as he reached out and shook his hand.  "For what it's worth, I think you're great for Dean.  He's always been a hard worker, but there was always something missing with him, a sadness I guess and it kept him off-balance and often got him in trouble.  He's seemed a lot more stable since he's met you and he's been a lot more bearable when it comes to work."

"Don't get too happy H: I'm not about to start kissing your or the Old Man's ass anytime soon!" Dean snapped as he leapfrogged over the couch, rather than moving around and sitting like a normal person.  Seth giggled as he landed next to him, letting out one of his infamous snorts, which made Dean light up.

Rolling his eyes, Hunter tapped his shoulder, "I would expect nothing less from you Dean!  Congrats again champ.  Make us proud!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Dean waved him away as he lay his head down in Seth's lap, his feet hanging over the couch arm.  "Doing okay baby?" he asked as he looked up at him.

Seth nodded, "He wanted to know if it was okay to air the proposal on RAW."

Dean frowned, "He didn't push you into agreeing to anything did he?"

Seth shook his head, "No, he was pretty respectful about the whole thing.  I told him that we'd already talked about not hiding and if it helps draw more attention to your win, then I could deal with it," Seth's hands wound their way through Dean's curls as he spoke, making Dean nuzzle closer to him.  "I did tell him that we wanted copies of any pics or videos that they took though."

Dean grinned up at him, "Absolutely!  It'll be a great way to remember tonight and one day we can show it to our kids."

Seth blushed, "You want that?"

Reaching up to brush his cheek, Dean asked, "What?  To have a family with you?  Of course I do, I mean we're already practicing with our boys, right?"

Seth nodded as tears came to his eyes, "My mom asked me earlier about that and I told her that one day I could see myself raising a kid with you, but I wasn't sure that was something you'd want."

Reaching up, Dean swiped at the corners of his eyes, "It's not something I thought I would ever want.  I always figured I'd be a terrible parent, especially with the role models I had, but Jo Jo changed all of that.  The fact that Roman and Galina trust me with her and the fact that she loves me made me wish I could have one of my own.  I never thought I would find anyone who would even think about doing that with me though, then one day I looked up and this pretty boy caught my eye in the parking lot and the rest is history!"

Seth's cheeks reddened again as he smiled down at him shyly, "I definitely never could have imagined we'd be here when you approached me, but the second you looked at me, I knew I was in trouble."

Dean smiled smugly up at him, "Admit it: my kind of trouble was exactly what your life was missing!"

Seth rolled his eyes at him, but smiled back, "I'm glad you're so humble babe!  Ugh, you know you gave me back my life.  We complete one another, right?"

Leaning up for a kiss, Dean lay back down as he affirmed, "We belong together."

He sat up as Roman yelled for him once again, the family lining up for some more pictures.  Grinning, Dean hopped up and pulled Seth along with him, "Now our after pictures and then we can share our news and maybe we can take some engagement photos," Dean wiggled his eyebrows at him, making him giggle again.

Joining them, Dean grabbed Roman and took some photos with their belts before adding in the family.  Seth's heart melted as Jo Jo ran over and jumped into Dean's arms, leaning over to lay a kiss on his cheek as the camera flashed.

He quickly walked into Dean's arms when he set her down and took a few pics of their own before Seth urged his parents into another photo with them before bringing Finn and Sami over to join in the fun.

Inspired, Roman called together the other wrestlers and they got a group photo and then the couples came together and took one all together as well. 

Satisfied, Dean shared a look with Seth, who gave him a nod, making Dean walk over to the chairs and standing up on one as he shouted over the hum, "Everyone shut up for a moment!" he yelled, making everyone turn to glare at him.  Wearing another one of his shit-eating grins, Dean continued, "Ro and I just wanted to thank everyone for being here again, but something else happened tonight that Seth and I want to share with all of you who weren't there."

Roman's family, Hunter, Cesaro and Sheamus all smiled at them knowingly as Seth moved to stand in front of him, Dean laying his hands on his shoulders as he shared, "It wasn't exactly planned, but I kind of blurted out something when Seth met me after my match and although I tried to take it back, my baby wouldn't let me!" Dean winked down at him as Seth stared up at him indulgently.  Taking a deep breath, Dean continued, "I asked Seth to marry me and he said yes.  He doesn't have a ring because I wasn't planning on doing it tonight, but it's back in our hotel room so I'll correct that shortly."

Seth stared at him a bit surprised that Dean had actually gotten him a ring.  He knew that Dean and he had talked about marriage down the road, but the fact that Dean had actively went out to pursue that dream told him everything he needed to know.  His fiance was amazing and Seth was damn lucky to have him!

Reaching up to lace his fingers with Dean, Seth pulled on his arms, making him step down and into his arms as they kissed, making everyone cheer and applaud.  As they broke apart, Seth was once again blushing as they were confronted with gentle teasing and smiling faces.

"Congratulations mate!" Sheamus said as he stepped forward to shake their hands.  Cesaro stepped up behind him and did the same as they moved aside for Bo to stop in front of them, sharing, "You've got a good one here D, don't screw it up!"

Dean threw a punch at him, which Bo ducked as he walked away laughing at him.  Seth grinned as Finn and Sami suddenly moved behind him, trapping him in a double hug as Finn shouted in his ear, "Aww, our Sethie's all grown up!"

"Shut up," Seth said jabbing at him.

Laughing at them, Sami shared, "We're so happy for you man, both of you!  We told you that someday you'd find someone worthy of your love.  Just remember that I'm the one who helped you pick out that outfit for that first date!"

Seth giggled as Finn shoved him and the pair began arguing amongst themselves about who was the better friend to him over the years.  Leaning back into Dean's arms as he slid his arms around his waist, Seth looked up at him and asked, "Sure you want to have this around for the rest of your life?"

Dean shrugged, "Well I do come with my own baggage, I mean you already know how damn annoying Roman is," Seth doubled over laughing as Roman launched himself towards them as Dean took off running, Roman hot on his trail.

Shaking his head, Seth froze as he stood back up and was met with a icy glare from his father, "You're really going to go through with this nonsense?" he asked.

Glaring at him, Seth held up his hand, "Enough!  I invited you here for mom's sake and I've got to admit, it's been nice being around you when you're not running me or Dean down.  I'd like to have more moments like that in the future, but if you can't respect me and my relationship, then we have nothing to say to one another and you can leave right now.  I already told you that if you can't accept that this is my life and my choice to make that I want nothing to do with you.  I love Dean and he loves me.  We are building a life and a family and I'd love for you to be a part of that, but that's up to you."

With a sigh, Seth began to walk away from him, but he was stopped by his father's next words, "I'm just trying to stop you from making a terrible mistake and thinking this rebound relationship has any lasting value!  You're going to need all of your wits about you to deal with the fallout from Patrick's death.  I'm going to offer my help one last time, but if you pursue this joke of a marriage, I'm going to be forced to turn my back on you because I can't watch you tear down everything that we worked so hard to get you."

Shuddering, Seth's eyes closed for a moment, but suddenly Dean was there in front of him, grasping onto his hands as he murmured quietly to him, "I've got you Princess!"

Eyes raising to Dean's own, drawing the strength he needed, Seth turned back around and faced his father, "Then you need to go now and this time I want you to stay gone.  Mom is welcome in my home anytime, but I don't want you anywhere near me," grabbing Dean's hand, they walked off to the other side of the room where Seth's mother met them, a stricken expression on her face.

"I'm sorry baby, I really thought he was starting to come around.  I promise I won't try to force anything between you anymore.  You need to concentrate on building this life you want and you don't need his negativity bringing it down.  I am so happy for you Seth.  I know that we weren't the greatest role models when it comes to a happy family, but somehow you came out of it with more compassion and love than I ever thought was possible.  You hold onto that and to Dean and you'll be alright," hugging Seth, she then pulled Dean in for one of their own as she said, "Thank you for putting that smile and that gleam on my boy's face.  You take care of him!"

"I promise," Dean shared as he smiled over at Seth.  "What Seth said earlier is true for me as well.  You are always welcome in our home or here whenever you want."

Nodding, she gave Seth another hug before moving over to her husband and dragging him out of the room.  The second they disappeared, Seth fell into Dean's arms with a little sob.  Turning them around so Seth wasn't visible to anyone else in the room, Dean leaned down and whispered, "Shh, he's not worth it Seth!  He can't ruin our evening with his misery!"

Sniffling, Seth nodded, "I know, but it still hurts, you know?  Fuck!  I hate letting him get to me!" sighing, Seth reached up and wiped at his eyes before raising his head to meet Dean's eyes with his own, giving him a soft smile, "You're right: this is our night and that's all that matters.  I love you D, so much!"

"Likewise," Dean agreed, smiling back at him.  He laughed as Roman's mother suddenly shouted for them as Roman busted open a bottle of champagne.  Joining hands, Dean pulled Seth over to them as Roman poured them all glasses and all those gathered toasted the happy couple.

...

"Alone at last!" Dean sighed as he fell back onto their hotel room bed, grunting as Seth threw himself down on top of him, his head coming to rest on his collar bone.

The pair enjoyed the silence for a bit before Seth sat up and stared down at him expectantly, "Well we already took the dogs for a walk and they've eaten..." he said, making Dean grin at him teasingly.

"And what's that got to do with anything?" he asked.

Seth glared at him, giving him a poke, "You said that after we were settled in for the night, you'd give me my ring!"

Dean frowned, "Did I say that?" he asked innocently, squirming away as Seth began to tickle him. 

Through his gasps of laughter, Dean yelled, "I give, I give!"

Sitting back, Seth tilted his head at him, "Well?"

Still grinning, Dean stood up and made his way over to his bag, unzipping one of the pockets and pulling out a little square black box as he crawled back onto the bed, sitting down Indian-style as he opened it up, making Seth gasp as two platinum bands were revealed, "Oh!  We both have one," he squealed happily, eagerly grabbing one out of the box as Dean grabbed the other one.

Tilting it towards Seth, he showed him the matching descriptions inside, "My heart, my destiny."

Seth sobbed as Dean took his hand, looking closely at him as he shared, "I wanted us to remember every time we look at these that we're not alone anymore and that we're in charge of our happiness.  You've told me so many times that you hate not being in control, but this thing between us, that's all us.  We made it happen, we put the work in and we're going to continue to work at it everyday to make sure that we have everything we want.  I love you Seth Rollins.  Be my husband?" he asked.

Nodding, Seth held out his hand as Dean slipped the band on, grinning at the snug fit.  Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Seth smiled at him, "You're everything I've ever wanted D, you are my heart, my strength, my best friend.  Dean Ambrose, will you be my husband?" he repeated Dean's words.

Laughing, Dean nodded eagerly as Seth repaid the favor, slipping his ring on and then placing their hands against one another, staring at the rings with awe, "We're engaged!" he shared.

"We are Princess!" he said laughing at him.  He laughed harder as Seth pounced on him, sending him backwards, his head at the end of the bed, Looking down at him, Seth grinned, "I think you owe me a ride champ!" he laughed harder as Dean blushed.

Leaning down, Seth attached their lips, letting his body fall down to rest over Dean's, their hips in perfect alignment as their awakening cocks brushed against one another.  Giving a little jerk as Dean let out a moan, Seth pulled back and stood up, heading over to the chair that Dean had left his belt laying on. 

Turning around, he winked at his fiance as he stalked back over to him, grinning as Dean sat up and reached out for it, taking it as Seth crawled to the head of the bed, settling back against the headboard and watching him expectantly.

Seth held his hands out towards him and Dean quickly took them, settling over him as he lay the belt to the side and they began another long makeout session that eventually ended up in them losing their clothes before Dean sat up and Seth placed the belt around his waist, groping as much exposed skin as he could as he slid it through the hole and tightened it around him.

Dean leaned over and grabbed their lube as he coated his fingers and reached down to get Seth's cock ready, gasping as Seth coated his own and began to work a finger into Dean's opening.  With both of them already at the edge, Seth worked quickly as he got up to three fingers before pulling out and begging Dean to get on with it, "Come on baby!  Show me what you got!"

Placing his hands on Seth's chest for leverage, Dean slowly lowered himself down onto Seth's throbbing dick, both of them moaning at the sensation as Seth filled him.  Resting there for a moment so they could both calm down enough to last, Dean slowly began to work himself up and down until they were both past the point of no return and his movements grew quicker and more erratic as Seth began to drive up at him, urging him on, "That's it babe!  God, you feel so good champ!"

Reaching up, Seth used the belt to pull Dean down towards him, taking his mouth in a harsh kiss before taking advantage and flipping them over as he drove them both to their climax, their shouts shaking the walls around them.

Collapsing, Seth winced as the belt dug into his stomach.  Pushing him back, Dean unclasped it as he tossed it away and drew Seth back down to him, "Thank you baby, fuck!  This has been the best day ever: we have our boys, we have each other and we're getting married!  To top it off: I'm one half of the fucking tag team champions!"

Seth giggled as he saw the rapturous look on Dean's face, "God, I love you so much!"

Dean's eyes softened, "Ditto!  We're going to be husbands, Princess!"

As Seth found himself starting to drift off, he kissed Dean's shoulder as he mumbled tiredly, "Damn straight we are!"


	66. Chapter 66

Seth woke up with a grin on his face as he listened to Dean's stuttering snores rising up from the chest he was perched on. They'd fallen asleep right after making love and although they'd planned to get up and clean up before bed, they'd never quite made it, both of them dead to the world.

Sitting up, Seth's gaze moved across Dean's form, his smile growing as he thought to himself: _"That's my fiance, my champ!"_

Reaching out to caress Dean's cheek, he was pleased when Dean gave a happy sigh and nuzzled into it as he sleepily muttered, "G'morning baby."

"Mmm," Seth said as he leaned down to brush his lips across Dean's, whose arms came up to pull him back down into his arms.  "A very good morning babe!"

Murmuring in agreement, Dean opened his eyes as he asked, "And how is my fiance feeling this fine morning?"

Seth giggled, making Dean smile, "Maybe the best I've ever felt in my life," he shared as he lay a kiss on Dean's collar bone.  "I'm so happy D!"

Dean wiggled a bit, sliding upwards as he made himself comfortable against the headboard, pulling Seth up to rest against him, "Me too Princess, you have no idea how much!  I'm a champion and I'm marrying the love of my life; it can't get any better than that."

Seth laughed as their movement finally roused their sleeping dogs, who jumped up from their respective beds and made their way up to the hotel bed as they began whining at them, nuzzling up to Seth's side as they made it known that they were ready for their walk and breakfast.

With a sigh, Dean nudged Seth away from him as he stood up and stretched, "I'll take our boys out if you get their food ready and then see about getting us some room service."

Pouting up at him, Seth whined, "Come back here, I wanted to spend the morning in bed!"

Winking at him, Dean shared, "Let's get our boys settled and get some food in our stomachs and we won't leave here until I have to head to the venue, sound good?"

Seth shrugged, "I guess so."

Dean rolled his eyes at him, "So overdramatic!  Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time before we have to leave and maybe we can soak in the jacuzzi for a bit as well.  Besides, we'll be heading home tonight and we can spend the rest of the week in our own bed if you want." 

Seth's eyes lit up, "Promise?"

Dean nodded, "Anything you want Princess," he reassured him as he turned to the dogs who were now beginning to bark at him and pawing his legs as he sternly stated, "Blue, Kevin, enough!  Behave and maybe you'll get to open the treats I picked up for you at the hospital," turning back to Seth, Dean shared, "They had a pretty decent pet section in the gift shop.  I found some pretty sweet stuff for them."

Seth suddenly became animated as he yelled, "Oh, I forgot all about them!  With everything I had going on I didn't even think about it."

Dean watched amused as he bounced off of the bed and began to dig through his bag, shouting in triumph as he held up two brand new dog collars that he'd had specially made for them.  As he got closer and Dean got a good look at them, he doubled over in laughter, "You didn't!" he managed to gasp.

Seth just grinned smugly as he leaned down and popped their old collars off, replacing them with the brand new versions, their very own bright gold mini championship belts dangling from each of them, inscribed with the information needed in case one of them ever got lost. 

Grabbing his phone, Seth snapped a pic then made Dean crouch down with them, holding his own belt as he snapped another photo and posted it to his Instagram with the hashtag #morningwithmychamps.

Standing up, Dean pulled Seth to him, holding up the phone and after carefully placing their hands across the belt laid over his shoulder, he took his own photo, proudly displaying their rings before turning to Seth with a questioning eyebrow, "Is this okay?"

Looking him in eye, Seth nodded, "Honestly, I'd rather it came from us than everyone finding out tonight.  Before you post though, let me see it," Seth opened the texts he'd received from Roman the previous night featuring some of the pictures they'd taken at the venue.  As Dean watched, Seth put together a little collage with some of the photos including one that Roman had snapped of the proposal, Seth staring down at Dean in astonishment.

Taking a deep breath, Seth reached out and squeezed Dean's hand before posting it, "Alright, no turning back now!"

Tossing the phone over his shoulder, Seth walked right into Dean's arms raising his lips for a kiss before giving him a little shove, "Alright go on while I get us some food!"

As Dean walked out the door, the dogs happily pulling him along by their leashes, Seth grinned fondly as the voice in his head once again whispered to him, _"My family; mine!"_

...

After eating the breakfast buffet that Seth had had delivered to the room and getting the dogs settled down with the new toys Dean had bought them, the pair had made their way back to bed, snuggling up and watching tv for a bit before Dean turned it off and turned his attention to Seth, pulling him down as he proceeded to worship his body from head to toe, exploring every inch of it with his lips.

By the time he was ready to take it to the next level, Seth was a quivering mess beneath him and neither of them were able to last long as Dean slid inside of him and quickly brought them over the edge.

Not even allowing them to catch their breath, Dean jumped up and picked Seth up in his arms, carrying him to the bathroom where he set him down and got the jacuzzi going before stepping inside and then pulling Seth in after him.  Once they were cuddled back up, Dean began to whisper in his ear, "Thank you for being you baby, for putting up with my craziness, for loving me unconditionally, for giving me the family I never had and for taking a chance on sharing a lifelong commitment with me.  I promise you that I'll make sure you never regret it."

Seth looked up at him, "You're welcome, but you have to know that you do all of those things for me as well.  I mean I've brought nothing but chaos into your life since you've met me and you've been there every step of the way!  So thank you for supporting me, for showing me what real love is and for helping me build this family that I've always wanted, but never imagined I deserved."

Leaning down so their foreheads were touching, Dean answered, "You're welcome.  I'm so god damn happy that you agreed to be mine!"

Turning in his arms, Seth cuddled up against him as they both let the rare sense of peace wash over them.

...

They begged off dinner with their friends in order to prolong their alone time, choosing to eat in the room before making their way to the venue for RAW, where Seth stayed backstage as promised.

Holed up in Dean and Roman's dressing room with the dogs, Seth was pleasantly surprised as various wrestlers and members of the staff stopped in to say hello and offer their congratulations. 

After a meet and greet appearance, Dean and Roman were surprised when they made their way back into the room and found Seth sitting around with Sami, Finn, Jamie Noble, Joey Mercury and a animated Cesaro.

After listening in for a bit, Dean realized that Jamie and Joey were the friends that Cesaro had mentioned were interested in opening up a chain of gyms specializing in crossfit.  As they talked about sponsorships and tournaments and various products and merchandise that could be spun out of the venture, Dean had to hide a grin as Seth jumped in with a number of his own ideas.

Although Dean had honestly forgotten about Cesaro's inquiries, it was nice to see Seth fired up about something again.  Judging by the excitement on Finn and Sami's faces it seemed that the whole crew was interested in the proposition.

As Seth began to delve into the legal side of things, Jamie's eyes widened, "I forgot that you're a lawyer!  That could really come in handy down the line if we can draw interest from the wrestling, martial arts and boxing crowds.  I mean maybe we could offer some sort of sports management services as well including legal representation!"

"Umm, maybe," Seth stated quietly as some of the excitement seemed to fade from his expression.  Sensing that he was getting a bit overwhelmed, Dean decided to step in, sharing that he and Roman were going to need to get ready for the show.  Realizing the time, Finn and Sami excused themselves to go meet up with Bayley and Kevin as the rest scattered to get back to their own responsibilities.

Throwing him a relieved look, Seth moved over to Dean for a hug, who leaned down and whispered to him, "You don't have to figure everything out today Princess, just think about it.  Seemed like you were all into the idea and I'm betting Matt will be too.  Just don't close the door on any possibilities, alright?"

"I can do that," Seth stated.  "I guess I just need to figure out where I stand at my job and face the fallout from Patrick's death before I can even think about anything else."

Satisfied, Dean changed the subject, drawing Roman into a spirited conversation about ghosts that had all three of them laughing before the pair had to head out to the ring, where they proceeded to celebrate their win with the crowd. 

Seth grinned as he watched Hunter interrupt, offering his own congratulations before revealing that something almost as important had happened last night and showing the proposal on the titantron.  Seeing the whole thing again from this perspective had Seth crying all over again as he witnessed his own shock and Dean's nervousness. 

In the ring, he could see tears once again shining in Dean's eyes as well as he told Hunter, "Thank you boss!" turning to the crowd, Dean addressed them, "And thank all of you for being such a support to Roman and I, but also giving Seth and I so much support.  We've been through a lot recently and everyone having our backs has really meant a lot.  Having this belt and having the love of my life next to me has truly made me the happiest man alive!"

As the pair exited the ring, Seth waited impatiently, throwing himself in Dean's arms the second he entered the room to Roman's amusement.  As they clung to one another, they both were wiping away tears.

Striding up behind them, Roman threw his arms around them, "Aww, you two are so damn cute!  When am I going to get my official best man invite?"

Giving him a poke, Dean quipped, "I'm thinking of giving that role to my other best friend!"

Roman just threw his head back and laughed, "D, you have no other friends!"

Letting go of Seth, Dean growled, "Oh that's it!" as he began to chase Roman around the room, grinning at Seth's giggles.

After they'd calmed down and gotten dressed, Dean and Seth said their goodbyes to Roman before heading down the hall and finding Sami and Finn who were going to be heading home as well and promising to meet up with them for dinner later in the week.

Feeling a little nervous, Seth followed Dean out to the car with the dogs and they headed to the airport.  Seeing his anxiety, Dean gave his hand a squeeze, "It's going to be alright Princess!  Just think about being back home in our own bed with no responsibilities for the next few days."

Shooting him a grin, Seth nodded, "Sounds pretty good."

Checking his rearview mirror as they pulled out, Dean quirked a grin at him, "Damn straight it is!"

...

They both felt a sense of happiness as their house came into sight; it felt like they'd been gone for much longer than they actually had and remembering the fear that they might never see it again was enough to once again bring out a strong sense of gratefulness to not only be alive and together, but to be home.

Making their way inside, the dogs seemed to be pretty happy to be back as well as they took off running to find their favorite toys and whining when they made their way over to their food bowls to find nothing inside. 

Rolling his eyes, Seth set his bag down as he teased them, "Alright you spoiled brats, I'll get you something!" Dean laughed as Seth stepped into the kitchen to get their food and fill their bowls up.  Leaning over the dogs for a pet, he shared, "Ignore daddy, he gets grumpy after a long flight!"

Looking over at him, Seth tried to look stern, but he failed as his heart melted at Dean's words, "If I'm daddy, who are you?"

Dean grinned proudly, "I'm dad, of course.  I mean I was thinking they could call you mommy, but I figured one feminine nickname is enough and Princess is never going away so, you know, daddy it is!"

Seth just glared at him, until Dean moved towards him, trapping him against the island with his hips as he proceeded to suck all of his brain cells out with a passionate kiss that left them both panting.

Still a bit dazed, Seth stood there for a moment as Dean moved away into the living room, hitting the answering machine as the messages began to play.  Following after him, they listened to a string of non-important calls when Patrick's father's voice flooded the room, "I hope you're happy Seth!  You not only drove my boy over the edge, you had to murder him in cold blood too!  I saw your public display with that boy toy of yours and I just wanted to warn you that you better enjoy your happy engagement while you can because it's not going to last!  You took everything from Patrick and now I'm going to take everything from you!"

Seth shivered at the venom coming from the man's voice.  As Dean moved to hug him, they were both stopped by the next message, "Seth, as soon as you get this message you need to call me.  I tried your cell but it was turned off and I've been informed that you're still in the hospital.  I'm glad to hear that you are recovering, but we really need to talk about all of this.  We need to figure out where you and this company go from here," Seth's eyes closed as his boss' voice flooded the room.

He'd known that he was going to have to face some consequences when he got home, but it seemed that it was going to be much sooner than even he'd realized.  Looking over at Dean miserably, he stated, "Guess the honeymoon's over!"

 


	67. Chapter 67

Dean frowned as he woke up to find Seth moving around the room, getting dressed.  He'd felt him moving around next to him all night, clearly restless.  Now he was up way earlier than he should be on a day off. 

Stretching with a sigh, Dean sat up and asked, "What are you up to Princess?"

Seth jumped guiltily as he turned towards Dean, "Sorry babe, I didn't mean to wake you up.  I was going to leave you a note.  I'm going to head into the office and just talk to Mr. Meyers.  I was going to make breakfast when I got back."

"First of all, I'll make breakfast because you're supposed to be resting the next few days!  Second of all, there's no way in hell I'm letting you walk into that lion's den alone.  If you insist on going then I'm coming with you!" Dean insisted.

Seth began to protest, "D, you don't need to come with me!  I'm going to have to face him alone at some point."

Dean shrugged, "But you won't be today!  Baby, I know you and I know that you'll get there and decide to stay and try to put in some work.  That's not happening on my watch!  You're off until Monday and until then you are going to take it easy!  Besides, I don't like the idea of you getting all worked up right now.  You may not like what your boss has to say and what if you run into Patrick's dad...no, I'm not letting you go by yourself!"

Reading his determination, Seth acquiesced, realizing that Dean was doing what he thought was best for him and Seth knew if it was turned around that he'd be doing the same exact thing.  Dean was going to be his husband and he knew that he needed to get used to having him at his side rather than facing the world alone like he was used to.

Striding across the room, Seth moved over to the bed, reaching down and pulling Dean up into his arms as he snuggled up against him, murmuring, "Alright babe, we'll go together.  Thank you," Seth brushed a kiss across his cheek.  "It's nice having someone always at my back."

Dean nodded as he squeezed back, "I know.  We've both been alone for way too long Princess.  We're a team now."

Seth grinned, nuzzling into him gently, "A team: sounds good to me!  My husband, my soulmate, my best friend..."

"My better half!" Dean added with a wink.  "Love of my life, my fiance," he continued, making Seth beam back at him.

Leaning up, Seth's lips captured Dean's own as he tried to convey his rising joy and contentment.  He didn't think he'd ever be able to really get Dean to understand just how much he'd changed his life for the better.

Holding on for the ride, Dean eagerly responded, reading Seth's message and returning one of his own: as much as he'd helped center Seth's world, Seth had given Dean back his own confidence and helped calm his own raging mind. 

As they kissed, they both knew that if they didn't stop things now, there would be no leaving any time soon so Seth reluctantly pulled away as he urged Dean to go get ready.  He'd already fed the dogs, but figuring if Dean was already up, he'd go ahead and fix them some breakfast now before they left.

Dean was pleasantly surprised when he came downstairs to find Seth serving the bacon, eggs and toast.  Kissing his cheek, he slid into a seat and chowed down, making Seth start giggling.

Dean's face lit up as Seth snorted, making the orange juice he had been drinking to spray out across the table.  Throwing his head back with a laugh, Dean teased him, "I forgot to add my dork earlier!"

Seth leaned over hitting his arm as he stated, "Like you're so cool!  Face it: we're both dorks; it's why we fit so well together."

Dean tried to glare at him, but he couldn't help but chuckle as he shared, "Fuck, I can't even argue with that!" reaching across to hold his hands, Dean shared, "Things feel so right between us!  I didn't think I could ever be this happy."

Seth nodded, "Me either.  I never thought I'd find someone who would check off all those boxes I'd always said I'd wanted.  I honestly figured eventually I'd end up settling with some guy that my dad and boss approved of.  I didn't think I could ever find what I really needed."

Giving his hands another squeeze before letting go to get back to eating, Dean shared, "This right here is where we're meant to be.  We're going to make this work Princess; we have to!"

Seth grinned at the confidence in his voice, "I love you," he whispered reverently. 

Dean threw him a grin, "How could you not?" he winked at him, making him giggle again.  "Love you too baby.  How about we go get this done and we can come back here and get our week in bed started?"

Dean laughed as Seth immediately stood up, grabbing their plates and setting them in the sink and then grabbing Dean's hand and pulling him up and out the door.

...

As they pulled into his work lot, Seth found his chest seizing up anxiously.  He was dreading this, but he knew that he'd rather just get it over with so he could figure out where he stood. 

Sensing his discomfort, Dean reached over and grabbed his hand in his, his fingers sliding over Seth's ring, "Hey, nothing that happens here can take away our happiness, alright?  We can deal with this."

"Together," Seth stated matter-of-factly.

"Together," Dean agreed as he slid into a parking spot.

Releasing his seat belt, Dean reached across and drew Seth in for a quick hug, centering them both before they got out and headed into the building.  As they walked through the lobby, Dean looked around as Seth realized that Dean hadn't actually been inside before.  Grabbing his hand, he began to point things out as they stepped into the elevator.

As they got off on Seth's floor, his hand clasped Dean's tighter as they began to walk past Patrick's father's office.  He breathed a bit easier as they passed by with no incident. 

Stopping in front of his boss' door, Seth knocked tentatively when he saw that his secretary was not at her desk.  After hearing Mr. Meyers tell him to enter, Seth opened the door, taking a deep breath as he dropped Dean's hand and walked in, Dean following behind.

Looking up, his boss seemed surprised to see him, "Seth, I figured I wouldn't hear from you until next week.  Please, have a seat.  Would your friend like to wait in the lobby?  There's coffee and some donuts out there."

Dean ignored him, grabbing his own chair and sitting down before finally responding, "No thanks, we already ate."

"If you don't mind, Seth and I need to have a private conversation.  He can come find you afterwards," Mr. Meyers said emphatically.

Sensing Dean about to go off, Seth stepped in, "He'll be staying actually.  He promised my doctor to keep a close eye on me until the end of the week and he's taking that job very seriously.  I don't mind him being here and honestly I'll be sharing anything said here with him.  I'm sure you've heard that we are going to be married."

His boss' eye twitched as he responded, "Yes, I saw.  I'm pretty sure the whole world has at this point!"

Seth nodded, "I wasn't completely comfortable with that, but we figured it was better to just get it out there rather than have it blow up later."

"I'm happy for you both, really I am," his boss began, sounding anything but.  "However, the timing is a bit suspect, don't you think?  Of course I don't think you meant it that way, but it looks like you're treating Patrick's death as just a everyday occurrence.  Surely you can see how people might feel you're being a bit  blasé  about the whole thing."

Seth nodded, "Sure, I can see how it might look to others.  Dean and I actually had this conversation, but we both agreed that we can't live our life to please others.  Dean's proposal was spur-of-the-moment, but it was something that we'd talked about already and he had planned on asking me to marry him long before what happened with Patrick.  I already lost so much of my life because of Patrick and his insanity, I refuse to lose any more!  I'm sorry if no one can understand that, but at the end of the day it's about what Dean and I want and need and we are ready to make that commitment and that's what we are going to do."

Dean found himself smirking as Seth asserted himself.  He was so proud of him!

"And how do you think Patrick's father is going to handle it?  He's already threatening to sue you.  He feels you are liable for his death and this thing is just going to rile him up more!" Mr. Meyers' voice rose.

"Let him!" Seth snapped.  "Patrick terrorized me, he tried to take away everything and everyone that I love and then he tried to kill me!  I'm sorry that he's gone, I truly am.  I mourn for the man I fell in love with, but what happened was all on him.  He knew exactly what he was doing and he put himself in the path of that bullet.  It was him or one of us and although it may sound callous, I'm glad it was him!"

His boss stared at him in amazement, taken aback by Seth standing up for himself so forcefully, "I see," he said.  "While I admire your honesty, I'm not sure this company can handle the negative press that is sure to come out of this whole situation!"

Taking a deep breath, Seth calmly asked, "What are you saying?"

His boss shrugged, "We've had this conversation numerous times in the past, but I've always given you the benefit of the doubt Seth.  This time though, I've got to do what's right for this company.  I don't think that while you're in the middle of a court case that you should be handling clients.  You have this week off to get healthy, but I'm thinking that a extended leave of absence will be best for all involved.  You can concentrate on taking care of your business with Patrick's family and your own and maybe it will give you some time to make wedding plans."

Dean stared at Seth in disbelief as he nodded, "I was thinking the same thing actually.  I don't want my personal life to affect any of our client's cases.  How long were you thinking?"

With relief in his voice, his boss shared, "Let's say a month for now and we can see how things go.  I'm going to do what I can on my end to make this whole case go away.  Patrick's family is hurt and shocked right now, but as things settle I hope that everyone involved will have a clearer head.  Of course with a voluntary leave of absence, you will still receive a salary.  I suggest you take this time to search for stability in all aspects of your life, starting with your relationship with your father.  I know that he's made some questionable moves, but you know he is only reacting out of concern for you," standing up, he shook Seth's hand and then offered Dean the same courtesy. 

After a glare from Seth, Dean reluctantly shook it as he followed Seth out.  The ride back downstairs was silent as they stepped outside and into their car.  The second they were seated, Dean unleashed, "What the fuck was that?!  You didn't mention anything about wanting to take time off.  You just gave into whatever that asshole wanted!  They have no fucking right to push you out in favor of that asshole's family!"

Sighing, Seth leaned his head against the window as he tried to compose his thoughts, "I knew that this was where this was going.  I've been warned enough in the past and honestly, this time I can understand it.  You can't have one of your lawyers facing a lawsuit of their own.  It doesn't exactly inspire confidence and in my case, if Patrick's father does sue, it will end up on the news because of my association with you.  I can understand why taking a step back is a good idea."

Dean shook his head, "Okay, I get that, but how is it good for you?  You get pushed to the side and then what?  Do you really believe they are just going to welcome you back with open arms?"

Seth suddenly sat up and smiled at him, "Hell no, and even if they do, I'm not sure I want to come back here!"

Dean's eyes widened, "What?"

Seth reached over for Dean's hand as he tried to explain, "You keep telling me that you don't see any passion when I talk about my work here.  I'm not saying I don't find joy in my law work, but you're right that I'm not happy here.  This place just reminds me of everything that was wrong with my life: Patrick and my father's control.  If I'm going to continue to practice, I wouldn't mind doing it in a different capacity or a different place.  What do you think?" Seth chewed on his bottom lip nervously as he waited for Dean's answer.

Staring into his eyes, Dean seemed to see what he was looking for as he shared, "I think I just want you to be happy with yourself and proud of what you do.  If getting out of this place does that for you then I'm all for it!  Does this have anything to do with what you were talking with Cesaro and J and J about?"

Seth thought about it for a moment before responding, "Maybe.  I mean I never would have thought about making the law and sports go hand in hand.  I mean, sure I go over contracts for Matt all of the time, but it's never gone beyond that.  It would be cool to explore that.  I want to look around and see what's out there, but if I can somehow move into sports law, that would give me more reason to travel with you.  I could offer my services to your colleagues and the company. I just figured that If I could take some time off and really figure out what I want outside of being with you, that i should embrace it."

Satisfied with his response, Dean gave his hand a squeeze and then pulled out, driving back towards home as he said, "I would love that, but again, it's not about what I want, it's about what's right for you.  I want you to have the same sense of satisfaction that I have when I step in and out of the ring."

Leaning over to lay against his shoulder, Seth explained, "Watching you in the ring made me realize that I don't have that and I don't think I'm going to until I find a place that I really belong.  I already know that I belong with you for life, but I'd like to figure out my professional life too."

"You will and anything you need from me to make that happen is here for the taking," Dean gave his encouragement.

"I know," Seth said happily.

A peace settled over the car as they made the trip back home.  Both of them were lost in their own thoughts as they turned onto their street, but Seth checked back in as he felt Dean stiffen above him.  Sitting up, Seth realized why as they pulled in beside the car already parked in their drive.

Stepping out, Seth addressed the man on his porch, "Can I help you?"

Turning around and heading back to them, the man asked, "Which one of you is Seth Rollins?"

"I am," Seth responded.  He wasn't too surprised as the man handed him a envelope, informing him, "You've been served," but when he turned to Dean and gave him his own envelope, he found himself in shock as the man stepped away and drove off. 

Turning to Dean, who was already opening the envelope, Seth croaked, "Babe?"

Scanning the contents, Dean shook his head, "The bastard is suing us both for wrongful death.  He's trying to take us both for everything we have."

Seth's face dropped as he whined, "He wasn't supposed to drag you into this!"

Dean just frowned as he looked over at him, "Hey, we're a team, remember?  I was in this anyways.  Besides, he has no leg to stand on!  Don't go blaming yourself again for any of this, alright?"

His face relaxing, Seth nodded, "We'll deal with it together, right?"

Dean grinned at him, "Exactly!"

Shaking off his dark thoughts, Seth grabbed Dean's hand, "Come on, let's take our boys to the park and stop by the grocery store.  We're going to need to stock up if we're not leaving our bed for the next few days!"

As they stepped into the house, Dean giggled as he gave Seth's side a squeeze, "I love the way you think Princess!"

 

 


	68. Chapter 68

"Fuck!" Dean dropped down onto his back as Seth lay panting next to him.  He'd lost count of how many times they'd gotten one another off at this point, but he knew he'd broken his own personal record and then some. 

It was day two of their staycation and they'd watched a couple of movies and made sure to stay fed and hydrated, but other than sharing their dog-walking responsibilities, they'd been making love non-stop. 

"Yeah," Seth gasped as he nuzzled against Dean's shoulder.  "I can't even remember what round we're on at this point!"

Dean laughed, "I was just thinking the same thing!" he shared as his hand moved Seth's hair out of his face so he could see the eyes he was so enthralled with.

Setting himself up against the headboard, Seth's hand returned the favor, moving Dean's curls back and away from his sweat soaked forehead, "I hate to say it, but I may need a break!"

Dean did his little robot dance, making Seth snort at him, "I guess I did my job then!  I told you that I'd wear you out."

As he basically collapsed against Seth's shoulder, Seth's giggles echoed throughout the room, "Pretty sure I did the same to you babe!  You're not exactly looking very energetic either!"

Dean shrugged, "I admit, I think I've reached my breaking point...for now!" he left a kiss on Seth's shoulder.

Seth continued to laugh as his arms settled around Dean's shoulder, holding him tightly against him as he sighed happily, "I don't think this is what the doctor had in mind when he said take it easy, but it's the best medicine I could ever have!  I don't think I've ever been this relaxed before."

Dean grinned proudly, "That's what I want to hear; anything and everything you want and need Princess!"

Seth blushed as he leaned down, burying his face against Dean's neck, "God, I love you so much Dean!  I'd be lost without you, you know that, right?  And that goes both ways: I'm here for anything and everything you need."

Dean nuzzled back against him, laying a kiss on his cheek, "I know baby and you already give me everything I want.  This right here is it for me.  I just want us to be together with our boys and I want us to be both be satisfied with all aspects of our lives so I'm going to be here to support you however you need when it comes to making a decision about work, okay?"

Seth nodded, "I know babe.  Have I told you today just how proud I am of you and that shiny belt you've got over there?"

Dean chuckled as he lay a kiss on his chin, "Yes, but feel free to tell me again; I love getting my ego stroked!"

Seth gave him a playful shove, "You don't need any help with that!" he retorted. 

Dean looked at him in mock anger, "What are you trying to say?  I pride myself on how humble I am!"

Seth just rolled his eyes at him, "Oh yeah, very humble!  Wasn't that you night one just assuming that I wanted to go on a date with you?"

Dean shrugged, "Was I wrong?  I only speak the truth Princess!"

Seth giggled at his serious tone, "You are too much babe!"

Dean reached up and pulled his mouth towards his, stealing a kiss before responding, "Your kind of too much though, right?"

Seth grinned fondly at him as he cupped his cheek, "Damn straight!  You're my crazy, no one else's!" his tone left no room for argument, making Dean's tired cock give a half-hearted twitch.

Staring intently at him for a moment, Dean then confirmed, "Only yours," as he drew Seth back down to him so he could reach his lips again, content to lazily make out for a bit before pulling back and looking at him again.  "I don't want to kill the mood, but have you given any more thought to counseling?  Roman brought it up again and he really seems to think it's something that would benefit us both.  I'm still not sure about it myself, but I'd like us to go into this marriage baggage-free and if this can help make it possible, then I'm willing to give it a shot."

Surprised by the change of subject, but having been thinking about it himself, Seth was ready to give his answer, "I think I want to try too.  Plus I was thinking that having a psychiatrist on our side will only benefit us in this court case.  Our state of minds are going to be up for debate and there's no telling what kind of trash Patrick's father is going to try to dig up or make up about us.  We're going to need to keep our cool and maybe having a professional to help with that is a good idea.  I can't say I feel any better about sharing such personal stuff with a stranger, but as long as you're there with me, I can do it.  I want us to be able to move past all of this before we walk down that aisle too."

Nodding, Dean raised his hand, kissing his palm as he said, "Roman got us some numbers so maybe we can call around tomorrow and set something up.  In the meantime, why don't we talk about this wedding!"

Seth grinned at the change of subject, "What did you have in mind?"

Dean grinned back at him as he leaned up, reaching behind them to adjust their pillows so they could sit back comfortably, Dean drawing Seth into his arms so he rested against his chest and he could gently rub his back, "I want to wait until this court case is done and behind us.  We've just headed into our second month together so I was thinking maybe we could do it on our sixth month anniversary?  I guess it would mean more to wait a year, but I don't want to wait that long!"

Seth shook his head emphatically against him, "Me either!  The six-month mark sounds good to me.  That gives us four full months to get things together and plan."

Dean grinned as he gave him a squeeze, "And I bet you've already been planning?" he said knowingly.

Seth blushed as he hid his face against Dean's collar bone, "Maybe," he said quietly.

Dean laughed as he asked, "So, are we going to share with the class?"

Seth traced a line across Dean's chest as he almost whispered, "I was thinking maybe we could find out if we could hold the wedding in Moline.  Our guests could stay at the bed and breakfast with us and if the weather is nice we could get married outside.  Early September should be beautiful there.  The trees will just be starting to change."

Dean nodded as he pictured it, "I'm with you so far.  What else?"

Seth grinned shyly as he said, "I was thinking you could handle the flowers?  You know a lot more about that stuff than I do and I'll work on the music and theme.  Then we can plan the menu together and figure out all the little details."

Dean nodded, "I can do that.  I want Ro to be my best man, but I know you're going to want Sami and Finn there so I was thinking I could ask Bo to stand up with us as well?"

Seth grinned happily up at him, "Really?  I was dreading having to pick between the two!  I'd like Bo to be there with us.  He's been so supportive.  I want Matt to do a reading and we're going to need to include Kevin and Bayley in some stuff as well.  I want everyone to play some part in it," as he spoke, Seth's voice was getting faster as his enthusiasm grew, making Dean smile.

"Yes to all of that!" Dean squeezed his hand, leaning down to kiss his forehead.  "I was thinking we could walk down the aisle together, but maybe you want your mom to walk you there?"

Seth shook his head, "Maybe we could have mine and Ro's mom walk down before us and they can "give us away up there", but this is a equal relationship and I want us to go down there together."

Dean nodded, "Done.  Anything else?"

Seth shook his head, "Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something."

Dean laughed at him, "I know you will.  Never thought I'd want any part of any of this, but this whole wedding planning thing is kind of fun!"

Seth giggled, tickling Dean's chest hair, "I'll try to make it as painless as possible."

Dean chuckled as he pulled Seth up for a kiss, "What do you say to some pizza?  I'll call while you walk the dogs and then I've got a little surprise for you."

Seth's eyes widened, "What kind of a surprise?"

Dean shrugged at him, "You'll see!" he shared innocently.

Seth pouted as he slid out to pull some clothes on, "You're so mean!"

Dean just waved at him, "The sooner you walk the dogs, the sooner you'll get your surprise!"

Seth just stuck his tongue out at him as he grabbed the leashes and called down the stairs, making the dogs bark excitedly, "It better be worth the anticipation!"

Dean just smiled at him as he headed down the stairs, yelling after him, "Have I disappointed you yet Princess?"

Dean fell back on the bed laughing uncontrollably as Seth's voice floated back up to him, "There's a first time for everything!"

 

 

 

 

 


	69. Chapter 69

Dean grinned as he heard the door slam below. Looking out the window, he watched until Seth and the dogs were out of view before picking up his phone and sending a text.

_Coast is clear. Are you in back?_

He grinned as he immediately received a response back.

_Yeah, I picked up the "package" and I'm behind the garage. Hurry up, I have things to do!_

Dean laughed as he made his way down the stairs and outside, meeting up with a very tired Finn, who glared at him as he stepped out the garage door, "You're lucky I really like both of you! That drive was a nightmare!"

Coming over and patting his back, Dean answered, "I really appreciate it man, but there was no way for me to go get it on my own and I couldn't leave Seth here by himself."

Finn's eyes grew concerned, "How is he?"

Dean shrugged, "He's dealing. We've both got a lot of things swirling in our heads that we're trying to work out, but we're doing it together."

Finn nodded, "Good! I can't tell ya how grateful we all are that ya got one another. I was talking to Roman a bit and he seems to think that Seth has really turned ya life around as well."

Dean blushed a bit as he looked away, "Everything you think I've done for Seth, he's done for me ten times over."

Finn grinned at him, "Ya guys belong together. Enjoy that feeling and take care of one another!"

Dean shook his hand, "Believe me, we intend to! And this is just step one in my goal to do that tonight."

Finn just laughed as he reached in and handed over Dean's gift to him, along with a bag of goodies that he'd been asked to pass along with it, "Good luck! I have a feeling that you may have some angry animals on your hands tonight!"

Dean nodded, "Yeah, but we'll work it out. We always do!"

Saying their goodbyes, Dean headed in the house, quickly figuring out a way to set up his first surprise before he heard his boys exploding back into the house, barking eagerly as he heard Seth filling their bowls with food and water.

As he heard Seth's footsteps begin to ascend on the stairs, he headed into the bathroom, leaving the door open a bit as he waited for his fiance to enter the room. He wasn't disappointed as Seth walked in and took one look at the bed and began to squeal, "Oh my god, you're adorable! Where did you come from, huh? Babe, where are you?"

Dean chuckled as he opened the bathroom door fully and walked out towards him, "Meet our new pet. I'm leaving you the honor to pick her name."

Dean beamed as he watched Seth's face light up as he turned back towards the bed and moved over to pick up the small tiger cat, who immediately began to nuzzle against Seth's chest purring up at him.

That look right there was what he'd been waiting to see ever since he'd taken Seth to the zoo all those weeks ago and found out about his love for the feline species. He hadn't imagined that he'd find them a orange kitten with the perfect black tiger stripes, but it had all just fallen right into his lap and he was pretty damned please with his ability to make Seth so happy.

Seth giggled as the cat climbed higher up on his shoulder and began to lick his cheek, "She's perfect! She's really ours?" he turned a eager eye towards Dean, who just nodded with a smile as he moved to their side.

Dean lay a hand on Seth's shoulder as he explained, "I've been wanting to add a cat to the house since I realized how much you like them, but I wasn't sure we could handle another animal with our schedules, but with you having some time off, I figured it would be a good time to initiate another member into the household. Jo Jo's cat had kittens and Roman's been having a hell of a time convincing her that they need to go live with other people, but when she found out I wanted one and that she could come visit her anytime, she was sold on the idea. I made Finn go pick her up for us and drop her off while you were gone."

Seth gave him a little shove, "Sneaky! I always wanted one, but my mom was allergic to them and after I got Kevin, I figured I wouldn't have enough time to devote to another pet."

Dean nodded, "Well now she will have both of us to take care of her and we've got a whole team of people willing to pet sit for us so it should be all good. Besides, Ro's got her litter trained and she's on a regular diet now so she's not going to be that much extra work. I think the hardest part is going to be getting the boys to accept her as one of their own."

Seth frowned, "I didn't even think about that. They're just finally settling in with one another, I don't want to disrupt their calm!"

Dean grew tense, "I can take her back if you want, I just thought you would enjoy her."

Seth's eyes widened at his tone, "No! She's not going anywhere, she's our girl now; a part of our family. I'm just dreading going through the whole territory thing with the dogs again, but we'll figure it out."

Dean's eyes softened, "That's what I told Finn. Damn, we're starting to talk like one another!"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him playfully, "God forbid!"

"Hey!" Dean walked back over to him, giving him a poke, making him jump and making the cat whine at them. "Sorry!" Dean's tone dropped as he leaned down to pet her gently, making her settle back down into Seth's arms.

Seth grinned happily at the sight, "Thank you babe! Of all of the things I was imagining this surprise to be, this definitely wasn't one of them, but I love the idea of us expanding our family even more."

Dean grinned back as he leaned in for a kiss, "You're welcome, but if you think this is the only surprise I have for you this evening, you have another thing coming!" he drew back, winking at him as he continued. "Let's go get these introductions over and then you can tell me what you thought your surprise might be. Then I can confirm and deny if any of them come close to what I really have in mind for later."

As he disappeared through the door, Seth pouted as he yelled after him, "But Dean!"

Dean just laughed maniacally as he continued to make his way down to their dogs.

...

Much like they'd both feared, both Kevin and Blue were sending out hostile vibes towards the new arrival. Seth had brought her down and placed her on the floor next to them, letting them sniff around one another, hoping they'd bond right away, but as soon as the dogs began to bark aggressively, she was running away from them, whining at Seth's leg.

Both dogs continued to bark as Seth picked her up, causing him to yell at them, "Hey, calm down! She's not going anywhere so you better get used to it!"

Whimpering, they turned to Dean for validation, but he just glared down at them as he waved his finger at them, "Behave, both of you! We've got plenty of love and attention to go around for all of you."

Thinking back, Dean decided to try something as he urged Seth over to the couch, making him curl up in the middle as he moved to grab the dog leashes, putting them on both of them before heading over to the couch.

He sat down next to Seth before urging the dogs up with them. Excited to be allowed to be up on the furniture again, they eagerly complied, but as soon as they realized the cat was still there in Seth's arms, they began to get aggressive again until Dean pulled on the leashes, making them sit down on his lap.

Gently he began to pet the dogs until they calmed down enough for him to lean over and grab the tv remote, channel surfing until he came across a basketball game he knew Seth would enjoy and settling back, reaching over to draw Seth's head to his shoulder as he whispered, "Let's try to keep it quiet for a bit. We may need to crate them at different times and let them get used to one another's scents. We can't leave them in a room together unsupervised for a awhile and while we're gone, we're gonna need to lock her up in a separate room."

"Sounds like you've done this before," Seth murmured against him.

Dean chuckled, "Nah, just watch a lot of Animal Planet! I fed a lot of strays growing up, but I wasn't allowed to have a pet and we couldn't have afforded one anyways. It's why getting Blue was one of the first things I did when I had a little bit of money."

"Autumn,' Seth said decisively.

"Huh?" Dean asked confused.

"I want to name her Autumn," Seth explained. "Obviously it fits her color, but I was thinking that I met you just as Winter was ending and Spring was beginning and now we're going to be married in Autumn, it just fits."

Dean smiled, testing out the name in his head, "Yeah, I like it," reaching out he stroked her back, making her purr louder. "What do you say Ms. Autumn, will that work for you?"

Seth grinned at the display, "I think she likes it. Besides, doesn't Autumn Ambrose have a nice ring to it?"

Dean's eyebrows rose as he looked at him, "Ambrose?"

Seth shrugged, "I was thinking that I'd like to take your name when we get married. If I'm going to make a clean break from my dad and my old life, then I want to kiss the Rollins curse goodbye for good!"

Dean nodded in understanding, "I have no objections, but I can just as easily take your name or we can just stay with the status quo. Whatever you're comfortable with, but I can't deny that the thought of you officially being Seth Ambrose does something to me."

Seth giggled as quietly as he could as he buried his face in his neck, "What involving us doesn't do something for you?"

Dean shrugged, "Guilty as charged. I think everything you do is hot as hell, but hearing you claim my name as your own is pretty damn fantastic!"

Caught up in one another, they didn't notice that Autumn had begun to slowly inch herself forward in Seth's lap, cautiously getting closer to the two now napping dogs sprawled out across Dean. Realizing that no one was paying attention to her, she reached a paw out, batting at the bulldog's nose, making him give a low growl as he batted back, but continued to sleep.

Figuring there was no immediate danger, she grew bolder as she stepped down to them, crawling in between the pair as she looked expectantly up at Dean, who pulled away from Seth at the movement, both of them staring down at her in surprise.

Laughing Dean reached down to pet her again, rousing the dogs, who stared at the display skeptically, but as they went to make a move, Dean pulled back on their leashes again as he gave them a warning, causing them both to settle down. Eventually, they realized that the cat wasn't making any moves towards them and they let themselves settle back down, both of them passed out once again within moments.

Turning to grin at Seth, Dean shared, "I guess she is a Ambrose after all: she knows what she wants and she goes right for it!"

Seth just rolled his eyes at him as he let his head drop back to Dean's shoulder as he closed his own eyes, "Shut up and nap with us!" he ordered.

Knowing better than to argue with that, Dean leaned his head back and did just that.

...

After their nap, they took Autumn back up to their bedroom and got her settled in with her litter box, food and bed that Roman had sent along with Finn for her, as well as a few toys.

Satisfied that she would be content for a bit, the pair decided to treat the dogs and went out for a drive, stopping to pick up some ice cream before cruising around for a bit until they wound up at a further park. letting them out to enjoy themselves as they soaked up the sun.

Back home, Dean sent Seth up to check on the cat as he fed the dogs and made sure they were good for the night before sneaking out to get his next surprise ready. He'd already set up most of it earlier so he was quickly ready as he heard Seth calling him from inside.

Grinning salaciously, Dean moved inside, standing in the doorway of the living room as he quirked a finger at Seth, urging him to follow him. Seth eagerly walked after him, figuring he was about to get his next surprise. Although he'd been expecting Dean to surprise him with something sexual, he wasn't prepared for the image that greeted him when he headed out to his back porch.

Dean had strung up the lights from his Italian dinner surprise around the jacuzzi, which was bubbling up noisily and leaking steam, champagne chilling next to it with a covered tray of what looked like various desserts and a can of whipped cream.

Although Dean had clearly put some thought into the display, it was the other things out on the patio that drew Seth's attention. Right in the center of his porch, Dean had somehow installed a stripper pole and his outdoor sound system was currently playing the pounding dance music that Seth couldn't stand.

Turning back to Dean, he arched a eyebrow at him, "Really?"

Dean grinned back as he winked at him, "I was thinking I'd love to see you strip for me again, but I was thinking you might need a little inspiration this time. Play your cards right and maybe I'll give you your own dance before the night's through."

Seth blushed at the thought, but started to protest, "Dean, we can't do that out here, my neighbors could see!"

Dean laughed, "You weren't too concerned about that last time and your privacy fence is plenty high enough and the windows around the porch are tinted. Come on baby, you know you want to! Besides, there's plenty of incentive for you to do it."

Seth frowned at him, "How's that?"

Dean lowered his eyes, peering up at him from under his lashes as he growled, "You can do anything you want to me Princess, I'm all yours tonight!"

Seth's eyes widened dramatically as he gasped, "Anything?"

Keeping his eyes glued to him, Dean began to walk backwards, grabbing onto the kitchen chair he'd placed there and sitting down into it with a sprawl as he held his wrists out to him, "Look behind you baby!"

Turning, Seth saw a variety of items laid out on the table. He laughed as he saw the pink handcuffs and dildo prominently displayed next to a blindfold, a bottle of lube and some clamps that he found himself moving forward to investigate. Turning back to Dean, his face red, he asked sheepishly, "Do I want to know what these are for?"

Dean just threw his head back and laughed at his innocence, "Oh baby, those are for whatever you want to do with them, but I'm just letting you know that my nipples are really sensitive," Dean leered lustfully at him, making him blush deeper.

Crooking a finger at him again, Dean urged him towards him. The second Seth was within reach, Dean pulled him down for a searing kiss before drawing back and giving him a gentle push, "Now give me my show and then I'll give myself over to you."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Seth shivered as he quickly decided to go along with anything Dean had in mind. So far he'd enjoyed everything they'd done together and the idea of Dean submitting to him was too good to pass up.

Grinning evilly, he opened his eyes back up and met Dean's head on, making him gasp at the emotion he saw swirling in Seth's expression. He watched silently as Seth moved back to the table and picked up the cuffs. Turning around Seth gave him a order, "Lose the clothes!"

Feeling the shift in power, Dean did what he was asked, standing up and quickly stripping his outfit off, leaving him standing there proudly with his dick already pointing out at Seth, making him groan at the sight.

With a smile, Seth moved forward and gently pushed Dean's shoulders down, settling him down in the chair once again before grabbing Dean's arms and pulling them behind him, binding them against the chair with the help of the cuffs.

Moving backwards until he was leaned up against the pole, Seth stopped, just letting Dean anticipate the moment before he reached a hand up and untied his hair, letting it fall across his shoulder in waves, just the way he knew Dean liked it.

Using his other hand, he began to inch up his shirt, revealing his tight abs as he asked, "Are you ready for me babe?"

"Fuck yeah, I am!" Dean groaned.

As the strains of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" filled the room, Seth's body began to sway just a bit, causing Dean's cock to jerk again.

He'd gone into this with the idea of helping Seth get over some more of his insecurities, but it looked like once again, Seth was actually the one doing the surprising. His lover seemed determined to take him on a ride and Dean was happily ready to go wherever he was leading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm evil, but don't worry, the next chapter picks right up where this left off...


	70. Chapter 70

_Late night sex so wet so tight_  
_I'll gas up a jet for you tonight_  
_And baby you could go where ever you like (if you like)_  
_I said you could go where ever you like (if you like)_

As the song continued to pulse out onto the deck, Dean continued to be entranced by the show that Seth was putting on for him.  Last time it had taken awhile for his shy boyfriend to warm up to the idea and get into it, but he didn't seem to be having that problem tonight as his body swayed in perfect time with the music.

Shooting Dean a lustful grin, he slowly slid his shirt up and off, tossing it at Dean, hitting him square in the chest.  Dean gave a moan as Seth's hands began to play with his own chest, Seth's breathing getting harsher as he twisted his nipples. 

"Come here!" Dean's deep voice broke through the trance Seth was in, making him stare at him contemplatively.  Dean had told him he could do whatever he wanted and he wasn't sure he was ready to give his fiancé any type of relief.

Sensing where his mind was going, Dean cut into his thoughts, determined to have his way, "Wouldn't you rather have my mouth on those?  I know you love it when I spend time just working those buds of yours!" Dean tried to entice him.

Nodding helplessly, Seth stumbled over to him, straddling Dean's lap, both of them jumping as Dean's bared cock brushed against Seth's bunched up inside his jeans.  Scooting back a bit, Seth leaned over so Dean's mouth was right in front of his left nipple, "Make it good and you'll get the rest of your dance!" he ordered.

Dean smirked up at him, but quickly obeyed, leaning forward to latch on, his tongue laving the tip before he ran his teeth across it, gently nipping at it as Seth jumped and began to writhe against him in pleasure.  He continued the slow torture for a minute before moving over to his right nipple and giving it the same attention.

Feeling himself losing control, seconds away from jumping on Dean's dick and bringing things to a premature conclusion, Seth forced himself to draw back with a shuddered breath as he stood in front of him for a minute, trying to compose himself.

Looking up at him as his own chest begged for air, Dean shot him another grin, "Work it baby!  If I can't get in that ass right now, then I at least want to see it bouncing for me!" he teased.

Seth's entire body flushed at the words, but he kept himself from looking away, determined to push his shyness aside and give Dean what he was craving. 

He knew that Dean had set all of this up to help draw him further out of his shell and he wanted to give him that.  He wanted to be the lover that Dean deserved and he wanted to give Dean everything that his mind could come up with. 

He'd long gotten past the idea that he couldn't satisfy him, but he still found himself wanting to replace all of Dean's memories of any of his previous lovers because for him, there was only Dean in his mind, body and soul. 

Besides, if there was anything their last two days in bed had proven, it was that they were completely compatible in every way.  They knew one another's bodies like the back of their hands and they communicated by touch and eye contact so seamlessly that it was getting harder everyday for him to tell where Dean ended and he began. 

Moving backwards again, Seth shuffled until he was once again against the stripper's pole. 

He still couldn't quite believe that Dean had managed to get it set up without his knowledge or that he was so eagerly going along with the idea, but the overwhelming look in Dean's eyes helped him drop any reservations he may have had about the whole thing. 

This was Dean and he had absolutely no reason to fear opening himself up this way; hell, Dean was right there in front of him, completely submitting to his whims and Seth felt he owed him a great show.

Closing his eyes, Seth reached up and grasped onto the top of the pole as he began to work himself against it slowly.  Pushing around it to gain some momentum, he swung himself back the other way, moving his leg up and around the pole to keep his balance. 

Hearing Dean's breathing getting heavier, he opened his eyes to find the man eyeing him intently, his eyelids drawn down, giving his eyes a darkly hooded look.  Feeling a tingling in his lower region, Seth kept the show going as he used his flexibility to jump up to the top of the pole.

Having ditched his shoes when he'd come outside, his bare feet served as a good anchor to hold himself steady until he was poised at the top and ready to slide down.  As he began to slide down, working his hips as he did, he could see Dean struggling a bit against his cuffs, clearly wanting to come closer to him, eager to reach out and touch what he was seeing.

As he touched the ground, he moved around to do another spin, this time dipping himself backwards so he could lock eyes with Dean's once again, winking at him as he did so, making Dean lick his lips as he gasped at him, "Don't you think it's time you lost the pants?"

Seth giggled at him as he stood back up, making his ways towards him as he continued to roll his hips, "Want to help with that?  Oh wait, you can't!" he teased.

Throwing his head back, Dean groaned, "Sometimes I don't think things through!" he grunted.

"Really?" Seth drawled with overstated surprise, making Dean stick his tongue out at him, which only made Seth light up as inspiration hit.  Striding forward, he once again straddled Dean, this time moving up on his knees until his clothed cock was right up in his face.  "I think I have something better for you to do with that mouth!  Why don't you unzip me?"

Dean stared at him confused for a moment before understanding suddenly hit him and he grinned slyly back at him, "Oh baby, you have no idea just how talented this mouth is!" Laughing, he eased forward until his lips were right at Seth's zipper.  It took a little moving around, but he was finally able to get it between his teeth, drawing it down painstakingly slow as Seth moaned above him. 

Finally all the way down, Dean raised up as he tried to work his mouth and teeth around to draw the button out of its hole.  Seth giggled as Dean sighed with annoyance as it kept popping away from him.  They both sighed happily though as the flap finally broke free and Seth's now swollen cock popped out between the slats, having gone commando.

Grinning proudly, Dean's tongue reached out lapping at the precum flowing off of his slit, making Seth gasp, "Fuck D, so good!" as he gently reached out to guide Dean's mouth down onto his cock, Dean eagerly taking everything he had to offer him.  Seth let him work up and down for a minute before drawing back with a pop and standing up as Dean stared up at him, chest heaving.

Seth began to shake his hips again as he moved backwards, shedding his pants as he went. leaving him bare to the world and the cool breeze coming in through the screens on the porch.  He threw himself into the dance as he moved around a few times, giving Dean exactly what he asked for before moving over towards the table and picking up the items still laying there.  

As he turned to head back to his now worked-up  fiancé, Seth grinned evilly at him, "Do you want to touch me babe?" laughing as Dean nodded eagerly.  "Well sorry to disappoint you, but there's some things I want to do first!" he continued to laugh as Dean's face fell with disappointment, already trying to plead with him, "But baby...!"

Seth shook his head at him, "You said anything I wanted and anyway I wanted!  Now sit back and enjoy the ride!"

Clamping his mouth shut, Dean glared at him, but Seth moving into his lap once again made him acquiesce as Seth took his lips in a rough kiss, "Just give me this babe and I promise that I'll rock your world!" Seth whispered in his ear, making Dean tremble with anticipation.

Nodding, breath shallow, Dean agreed, "Whatever you want Princess, but just promise that this ends with my hands on you!"

Seth smiled at him, "I promise!"

Reassured, Dean leaned back up, asking for a kiss, which Seth was happy to provide.  As their tongues began to fight with one another, Seth latched one of the clips onto Dean's left nipple with no warning, making him jump, "Fuck!" he screamed.

"Later!" Seth hissed into his ear suggestively before moving back and clamping the other one onto his second nipple, sitting back to look at his work with a sense of satisfaction, taking in the delicious view of his love bound with the clamps, his body writhing with tremors and sweat, Dean's face flushed beautifully.  "I love you!" he couldn't resist sharing as he stared at him.

His words breaking through the sexual haze that Dean was floating in, he quirked a grin at him as he responded, "God, I love you too Princess, but I need you to show me!"

Eyes flashing, Seth promised, "Oh, I'm going to babe!"  With those words, Seth slid down onto his knees in front of him, reaching up to work his fingers across the clamps, alternating between the two as he twisted and squeezed them, working Dean's breathing up another level as he continued to move wildly, scraping the chair along the ground at times, making Seth laugh.

Once he was satisfied that Dean couldn't take any more, Seth let go of the clamps and picked up the dildo, coating it with lube as he offered his fingers up to Dean's eager mouth.  Grinning salaciously at him, Dean sucked each one from top to bottom, making sure they were all properly coated.

Pulling away, Seth threw a little lube on them as well before reaching down to work Dean open quickly, working his way up to three fingers before Dean began to beg him again, "Come on Princess, I need more!"

Scissoring his fingers inside of him once more, Seth then drew out and picked up the dildo once more.  Gently he slid it across Dean's opening, grinning as Dean's pucker trembled, begging him to shove it in. 

Feeling his own eagerness start to flood over him, Seth shoved it in in one go, making Dean jump uncomfortably, but also moan at the feeling of finally being filled, even if it still wasn't exactly what he was looking for.

Rubbing his thigh soothingly in apology, Seth let him relax before he gently drew it out and began a slow push and pull, happy to hear Dean's pleasured moans grow louder.  Before long, Seth couldn't wait any longer, needing to be inside of his lover, driving them both to the climax they were both seeking. 

Pulling the toy out, Seth stood and crawled back into Dean's lap, taking his lips once again with a ardent kiss that spoke of all the deep emotions that this whole scenario had drawn up for both of them.

This time it was Dean who drew back, leaving kisses along Seth's cheek and neck as he pleaded, "I want you inside of me Princess, but I need to feel you!"

Nodding his agreement, Seth stood up and grabbed the handcuff key from off of the table before heading back to Dean and leaning over to release him.  The second his hands were free, Dean exploded up from the chair, picking Seth up in his arms and carrying him over to the table, brushing everything still left on it off so he could deposit him on top of it.

Not waiting a second, Dean was all over him as his hands caressed and stroked every part of him he could reach as his lips crushed Seth's once again, "Jesus!" he moaned.

Satisfied for the moment, Dean drew back and stood up, helping Seth stand shakily before turning around and presenting his ass towards him as he braced himself on the edge of the table.

Overcome at the sight, Seth had to close his eyes for a moment before he let go prematurely and disappointed them both.  Counting to ten silently, he opened them back up and hastily moved into position behind him, reaching out to steady his hips as he slowly pushed his way into the well-lubed hole.  They both sighed as he bottomed out.

Resting there for a moment, Seth's hand moved down Dean's back reassuringly before Dean punched his hips back at him, urging him to move.

"Yes, fuck, yes!" Seth moaned out as he pulled out and thrust back in.  "Fuck, you're always so tight and so warm!  Feels so good!" he gasped as he began to piston into him over and over again, both of them feeling their climaxes rushing at them.  They didn't even bother trying to hold back as they moved together in the flawless rhythm they'd honed in their time together.

Reaching in front of him, Seth grabbed onto Dean's cock and began to stroke it quickly, wanting to bring him to pleasure first before he let himself explode inside of him.  It didn't take much as Seth leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Let go for me babe!"  Jerking at the words, Dean did just that, his cum spraying out across the table and down below onto the floor.

As Seth pulled his hand back and licked at the sweet taste dripping down his hand, Dean reached back and pulled his hair, forceably pulling his face towards him to steal a desperate kiss, taking in Seth's moans as he let go, the heat from his cum soaking Dean's insides.

Slumping over top of him, Seth struggled to get his breath as his sweaty stomach slid against Dean's back, "You're totally cleaning this up later!" Seth managed to weakly get out, drawing a chuckle from his exhausted  fiancé.

Turning in his arms, Dean looked up at him with that look of awe that Seth had grown used to seeing.  Stroking his cheek gently, Dean stated, "I'll do anything you want if you promise me a repeat performance sometime soon!"

Seth giggled as he blushed at Dean's words, "Maybe!" he said slyly.  Leaning down, he buried his face against Dean's shoulder as he whispered, "I liked taking charge and I don't think it's something that I want to do all the time, but dancing for you was kind of fun."

Dean stroked his head as he laughed, "I liked you taking charge too Princess!  I'm not saying that it's something I want all of the time, but it's nice to hand over the reigns for a bit and fuck, that dance is seared in my brain now.  It's really going to come in handy when I hit the road again."

Seth pouted as he drew back, looking down at him, "I don't want to think about that!"

Dean just grinned up at him as he sat up, pulling Seth into his arms and carrying him over to the hot tub, "Alright, what do you say you let me take care of you for a bit?"

Seth nodded eagerly as Dean slid them into the hot tub, pulling Seth back into his arms as he reached over and popped the champagne, pouring them both a glass as he took the top off of the tray and began to share bites of the various desserts with Seth, who made a show of licking Dean's fingers every time he offered him a piece of something.

Giggling, Seth finally pushed Dean away, "I don't think I can eat anymore babe!"

Dean just grinned slyly back at him as he grabbed the can of whipped cream and turned, spraying it across Seth's face, leaning down as he began to lap it up, making Seth squirm away from him.  Sitting back, Dean just winked at him, "You said you couldn't eat any more, doesn't mean I can't!"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, which Dean promptly sprayed with the white foam, Dean laughing as Seth lapped up the tasty treat.

Eyes shining, Dean pushed Seth back and off of him, urging him to sit on the edge of the tub as he began to coat his body with the substance as he crawled to his knees before him and got rid of every bit of it, Seth moaning as Dean's lips worked their way around his cock, making him beg, "Dean, please, I need you!"

Never one to refuse him, Dean turned the can towards his favorite treat and coated Seth's cock from tip to bottom, leaning forward to lick his way up and down both sides of it before taking him in deep, relaxing his throat to take him down seamlessly as Seth writhed against him.  Drawing back, Dean called his name until Seth finally gave him his focus, "What's it going to be Princess?  In my mouth or do you want to come with me inside of you?"

Not needing to think twice about it, Seth shouted, "In me D, right now!"

Shifting up until he was sitting next to him, Dean pulled him over to straddle his lap, Seth getting with the program quickly as he steadied himself against Dean's chest before reaching back and holding Dean's cock in place as he slowly inched down over him.  Once he was completely settled down, Seth pulled back and proceeded to ride him with abandon, making both of their moans echo into the night.

As they both came once again, they found themselves on their backs, cuddled against one another as they took in the view of the stars, their hands clinging tightly to one another as they drifted off.

...

Dean was the first to wake, reaching over to turn off the hot tub before swinging Seth into his arms and carrying him upstairs to their bed.  Covering him up, he left him there to go back down and clean up quickly, turning off the lights and locking up before checking on the dogs, who raised their heads from their beds as he walked by, but quickly fell back out as he headed back upstairs.

As Dean walked back into the room, he couldn't help but smile as he found his lover curled up around Dean's pillow, Autumn now curled up against his chest, sleeping peacefully along with him.

Rolling his eyes, Dean turned out the lights, not bothering to get cleaned up as he crawled in next to him, picking the cat up as he moved Seth around so his back was now facing him so he could pull him into his arms.  Seth sighed at the movements, but as Dean's arms encased him he sighed sleepily, "Mmm, night babe!"

Dean grinned as he lay Autumn back down in front of Seth, grinning as she settled right back down into Seth's chest.  Giving Seth a squeeze he answered him, "Night Seth!" laying a kiss on his neck. 


	71. Chapter 71

Seth frowned as Dean moved around the room, making sure he had everything he needed to travel.  It was Monday morning and Dean was getting ready to fly out to meet up with Roman for RAW. 

Although Seth had suggested he could go with him for the week, Dean had told him that he thought he should stay at home and continue to get some rest and help Autumn settle in. 

Although every part of Dean was screaming at him to grab Seth's hand and not let go, he knew that Roman was right when he said that they were too dependent on one another.  So far, every time Dean had been on the road Seth had ended up with him sooner rather than later and although Dean had no problem with that, he knew there was going to come a time when that would be impossible and he wanted them to be able to handle it.

Seeing the look on Seth's face, Dean paused in his movements to head over to the bed where Seth was sitting on the edge.  Dropping down to his knees, Dean grabbed his hands in his own, "Hey, you know I love you and that I'd love nothing more than to have you with me every minute of the day, but that's not the way the world works.  You need to be here for your jobs and I need to be on the road for mine.  My schedule is only going to get more demanding as long as Ro and I hold those belts.  We'll talk every day and this will give you some time to yourself to think about what's next for you on the job front."

Seth nodded at him, "I know, but it doesn't mean I have to like it!  I hate going to bed and waking up without you."

Dean's face dropped, "I know, I do too."

Seeing Dean's crestfallen look, Seth felt bad, quickly moving to reassure him, "But you're not wrong.  We really do need to get used to being apart.  It just sucks!"

Dean laughed, "Yeah, baby it really does!" Dean leaned up to kiss Seth's forehead.  "I promise I'll call you twice a day and we can Skype and text as much as we both can.  I've got house shows Wednesday and Thursday, but I'll be home Thursday night."

Seth sighed, "I know, I'm sorry I'm being such a downer.  I'm sure the week will fly by," he tried to inject some enthusiasm into his voice, but Dean wasn't fooled, tempted to forget the whole thing and let Seth come with him.

"Maybe..." Dean began, but Seth cut him off.  "Don't babe, you're right and I'm sorry for making you feel guilty about it!  Autumn needs to get used to her new environment and the boys need to figure out that she's not going anywhere.  I'll be fine here.  I'm sure the guys will be popping in to check on me," he threw Dean a look that made him drop his eyes from him, telling him that he was right in thinking Dean had already thought to ask them to keep an eye on him.  "It'll be okay, but I will be counting down the seconds until you're back in my arms, just so you know!"

Dean giggled at him, "Same here Princess!" Rising to his feet, Dean drew him up into a hug, before pulling away to finish grabbing his stuff.  Satisfied that he had everything, Dean grabbed Seth's hand and the pair walked downstairs and settled in on the couch, waiting for Dean's ride to the airport to arrive. 

Seth cuddled easily up into his arms, content to just listen to his heartbeat as they waited.  He held on tighter as Dean's ride arrived and Dean began to move away from him.

Laughing, Dean squeezed back for a minute before reluctantly pushing him away, "I'll see you Thursday.  Love you."

"Love you too," Seth leaned up for a kiss and then stepped away to let him leave.  The second he was gone, Seth slumped down onto the couch as he looked over at the two dogs who were looking up at him expectantly, "Well boys, guess it's just us and the cat.  What do you say we let her have the run of the house while we head to the park?"

In spite of his sour mood, Seth found a grin working its way onto his face as the pair began to bark noisily at him in agreement.

...

Roman picked Dean up at the airport and watched as he squirmed around in his seat, his hands clenching and unclenching.  Roman could see him clenching his jaw as well. 

"What's up D?" he finally broke down and asked.

Dean jumped in surprise, caught up in his dark thoughts, "Huh?"

"What's going on?  You're about to jump out of your skin over there!" Roman exclaimed.

Dean sighed, "I'm worried that I made the wrong decision not letting Seth come.  What if something happens to him?  I know the doctor said he was fine, but what if he falls or gets dizzy or..."

"D!" Roman cut him off.  "Seth is going to be fine.  He's a grown man who was cleared by his doctor to go home.  You told me yourself that you two spent all week indulging in your uh, extracurricular activities, and he was just fine.  The dogs are with him and you said that his neighbor and friends are keeping an eye on him for you.  You've got a top notch security system all hooked up and Patrick is no longer a threat."

Dean nodded reluctantly, "Yeah, but..."

"No buts!" Roman yelled.  "You need to calm down and call your boy."

Dean looked at him quizzically, "You think I should call this soon?  I was just going to text him to let him know I'd arrived."

"Call him!" Roman stated emphatically.

Wearing a sheepish look, Dean decided to obey, grabbing his phone and dialing Seth's number.  At the sound of his voice answering, Dean's face immediately relaxed.

 _"Hey, we're on our way to the hotel now."_ he shared.

" _Let me guess, you started freaking out and driving Roman nuts so he made you call me,"_ Seth laughed knowingly.

Dean frowned, " _No!  I just wanted to hear your voice."_

 _"Uh huh,"_  Seth teased.   _"Well, I'm glad you called.  I already miss your voice."_

Dean sighed, _"Me too!  Is it Thursday yet?"_

Seth just giggled, _"Not quite, but I'm sure as soon as you get back into the grind of things, time will fly by for you.  I'm the one over here who needs to figure out how I'm going to fill my hours.  I took the boys to the park earlier and then I mowed the lawn and weeded out the garden.  Had a nice chat with Dave next door, who conveniently stopped by to borrow some insignificant household item."  
_

_"Oh yeah?"_ Dean said innocently.

Seth just laughed at him, starting to get used to Dean's over-protectiveness, _"I'm fine D, you don't have to worry.  I miss you and I'm already bored out of my mind, but I'll figure it out.  I did call those numbers that Roman left and I found us a therapist.  We have a appointment Friday afternoon,"_ he shared nervously.

 _"Okay, good.  I think the quicker we do this, the more comfortable we'll get with the idea.  If we get there and it doesn't work for us then we'll find someone else or we'll figure out something else, alright?"_ Dean tried to sound reassuring, even though the whole idea scared him as well.

 _"Alright,"_ Seth agreed.  " _I love you babe!_ _Now go check in and get something to eat and give me a call after the show!"_

 _"Yes sir!"_  Dean teased, making Seth giggle again.   _"Love you baby!"_

 _"Talk to you later,"_ Seth hung up and frowned as he looked around his empty house once again, desperately trying to come up with something to pass the time until he could watch Dean on RAW.

On the other end, Dean hung up feeling a bit better about the situation, but still missing Seth like hell, wanting nothing more than to turn around and hop right back on a plane and head to him.

...

Seth found himself smirking as he heard the car pull into his driveway and his friend's loud voices echoing out as they walked up to his door and knocked.

Rolling his eyes, he swung the door open and stood there glowering at Finn and Sami as they beamed at him innocently, "Let me guess: you were conveniently in the area and thought you'd stop by to see me."

Shrugging, Finn responded, "Dean told us ya was going to be alone for a few days and Sami and I were just going to spend the evening hanging out watching RAW.  We figured ya'd be doing the same so why not do it together?"

Seth frowned at him, "I'm not a idiot, I know Dean asked you to keep a eye on me.  However, I am a bit bored so I'm going to let it slide and let you jerks in!"

Finn patted his shoulder as he walked by him, making his way to the couch as Sami thrust a six pack of beer into Seth's arms and threw his arm around his neck, "Cheer up Seth, you know that you'll have more fun with us commentating this thing for you."

"As long as I don't have to hear you tell me about how much you like Kevin's ass, I'll be fine!" Seth snapped, setting the beers on the coffee table before heading into the kitchen and grabbing some snacks, which he brought out and slammed down, slumping into the arm chair across from his friends, trying to appear to still be annoyed.

Sharing a amused look, Finn and Sami stood up and proceeded to jump on their friend, ruffling his hair and beginning to tickle him as he laughed and kicked out at them, begging them to stop.

Once they'd finally calmed down, the pair went back to the couch as Seth settled back into the chair, still giggling a bit, "I hate both of you!" he swore.

"Ya, ya, we love ya too man!" Finn waved his hand at him condescendingly, making Seth throw him the finger, which had Sami letting out his own giggles as he reached over for a beer, popping it open and taking a swig before he piped in with, "Listening to you two argue never gets old!"

He laughed harder as both of them turned to glare at him, "You have to admit that no one else makes us laugh as hard as each other, man.  Three Musketeers right?"

Rolling their eyes at one another, the pair reluctantly stood up, bumping fists with Sami as Seth sighed, "Yeah buddy, Three Musketeers."

As Seth sat back down, his gaze locked with his friends as they shared a silent conversation, letting him know that they were here for him whenever he needed him, all he had to do was ask.  Acknowledging them with a nod, he then turned towards the tv, leaning over to the grab the remote and switching over as they waited for RAW to begin.

An hour later, the trio had finished the beers and were now working their way through Seth's alcohol stash, a litter of glasses sprawled across the table with various pop bottles that they'd used to mix their drinks with.

"Look at how smooth she is in that ring!  I mean like she just glides across there ya know?" Finn mused as he watched Bayley work the ropes, having laid out Alexa in the ring and taunting Charlotte who had made her way to the broadcast booth.

Sharing a grin, Seth and Sami answered in stereo, "Right!"

Not even picking up on their teasing, Finn continued to praise his girlfriend as he shared that she was going to come spend the weekend with him and that he was nervous about taking things to the next level, "What if she's not ready and I push too fast?  Maybe I should set her up in our guest room?"

Sensing his friend's anxiety, Seth got up and joined them on the couch, hitting Finn's shoulder with his own, "Remember when you and Sami told me not to let my fear keep me from trying with Dean?" Finn nodded as Seth continued.  "If I'd let myself keep worrying about things going too fast, we wouldn't be here now.  As overwhelming as it has been, I'm glad I haven't held back and now I've got this symbol here of mine and Dean's love," he held up his ring.

Sami nodded, "Seth is right.  Don't let your fear keep you from expressing your feelings.  Just talk to Bayley and together you can figure out how fast you want to move things.  I've been alone for so long that I was scared shitless of responding to Kevin's overtures.  I knew I was attracted to him, but he was coming on so strongly and I pulled away from him, made him think that I wasn't interested.  Lucky for me, he was pretty stubborn and he talked himself into reaching out again and we ended up having a great phone conversation about where I was at and what I wanted.  I got him to understand that I needed to take things slower and he backed off a bit."

Seth looked at him skeptically, remembering the image of them in the car when he'd walked up on them making out, "Really?" he asked.

Sami giggled, "I didn't say it lasted long, did I?  He invited me out for the weekend and the first night we were in separate beds, but I woke up in the middle of the night and realized I wanted to feel his arms around me.  I ended up crawling into his bed and before we knew it, we were giving one another hand jobs.  You walked up on the morning after."

Finn waved his hands at him, "I'm happy for ya, really, but TMI, man, TMI!"

Seth smirked at him, "So does that mean you don't want to hear about how well Dean dicked me down this weekend?"

Finn threw his hands over his ears, "I can't hear ya!" he yelled, making Seth and Sami collapse into giggles, holding their sides as they fell to the floor as Finn smirked down at them.  "Seriously though, thanks for tha encouragement.  I guess you're right that I should talk to Bayley about this."

Sitting up, Sami and Seth both nodded at him before Sami squealed, turning back to the tv and setting back up on the couch as Kevin and Chris made their way down to the ring.  Grinning, Finn and Seth shared smirks over his head as they settled in next to him, sharing the bowl of popcorn that Seth had gotten up to make for them.

...

By the time Dean and Roman finally made their way on screen, Seth was getting impatient, wiggling around on the couch as Finn teased him, "Having withdrawals there Seth?  It's been what, 8 or 9 hours since ya seen him last?"

Seth launched himself at him as they began to playfully wrestle, ending up on the floor with Sami counting the pin as Seth got Finn's shoulders down.  Grinning triumphantly, Seth ended up back in the arm chair to wait, nervously biting at his own bottom lip as he waited.

After what seemed like a eternity, the Shield music hit as the tag champions appeared at the top of the arena and made their way down to the ring, Dean and Roman sliding into the ring as they raised their belts to the cheering crowd before gesturing for some mics.

The crowd quieted as Dean began to speak, "Jacksonville!  Thanks so much for that welcome!  Ro and I are glad to be here, representing your tag team division.  And speaking of that tag team division, we meant what we said last week: the Hounds of Justice are here to break up the status quo and part of that is being fighting champions.  We're out here because we're looking for some competition."

The crowd chanted as Roman raised his microphone, "That's right!  We intend to put these belts on the line night after night to anyone who has the guts to step inside our ring, so if there's anyone back there who thinks they can take on the Big Dog and the Lunatic Fringe, just come on out here and we'll show you that we run this yard now.  Believe that!" the ring echoed as he dropped the mic to the floor.

The crowd exploded when fan favorites, the Hardy Boys, music hit, the brothers coming out and making their way down to stand head to head with Dean and Roman, the foursome sharing intense stares before the Shield stepped back, nodding at the ring announcer, who began to announce the match as the pair handed their belts over for safekeeping during the match.

In the arena, everyone's eyes were glued to the match as the Hardy's high flying acrobatics met up with Dean's ferocity and Roman's power, creating a intense match that also had the trio watching from Seth's house on the edge of their seats.

Seth jumped around, cheering on his fiance as he pummeled Jeff in the corner and then moved on to cheering Roman as he caught Matt with a flying punch after he'd taken the upper hand on him.  As the match went back and forth, he grinned as Roman got the tag and he and Dean teamed up, knocking both Hardy's to the ground.

He swore to himself as Jeff flew off the ring post onto a standing Dean below, Seth wincing at the impact, "Fuck D, get up!"

Finn and Sami high-fived as Roman speared Jeff, who was just getting to his feet before leaping back into the ring and leaving Matt laid out as well.  That gave Dean enough time to get himself together and up, joining Roman back in the ring as they stood back to back, urging the brothers to come get them.

What erupted was a four-way brawl that eventually spilled out to the outside as the legal men, Roman and Matt, continued to fight it out in the ring, eventually ending with another Roman spear before Dean left Jeff laying outside and joined him in the ring to double power bomb Matt, Dean standing back as Roman gained the pin and the win.

"Yes!" Seth shouted, pumping his fist as Finn and Sami cheered along beside him.  Seth grinned as the match ended with Matt and Jeff once again standing face to face with Dean and Roman, but this time they nodded, sharing a look of respect before reaching out for a handshake.

As they gestured for the belts to be brought up, they handed them over to the champs, raising their hands in victory, the show's final shot of the foursome together in the ring as the crowd jumped around excitedly around them.

Laughing as he sat back, Seth grinned at his friends, "How cool was that?"

Sami nodded excitedly, "That's huge man, I mean almost passing the torch-like stuff there!"

"Right!" Seth said bouncing in his seat again, making Finn laugh at him, "Ya gonna be okay there Seth?  Do ya need us to leave the room so ya can take care of ya little problem?"

Embarrassed, Seth looked down realizing that his hard on was clearly displayed in the loose shorts he was wearing, "Shut up!" he said throwing a pillow at him.  "Fuck you both!" he sulked as his friends doubled over with laughter once again.

Sighing, Seth reluctantly shared, "I was going to ask if you guys wanted to spend the night instead of trying to drive home, but now maybe I want you gone!"

Finn stood up, tapping him lightly on the shoulder, "Ya, ya, ya know ya like having us around and we'd love to stay!  I can take the couch and Sami can have the guest room this time.  Maybe we can hit the gym in the morning?"

Sticking his tongue out at him, Seth nodded, "Yeah, that sounds good.  I'm going to go walk the dogs before Dean calls, but feel free to use the guest bathroom.  There should be towels and stuff in there if you want to take a shower."

Nodding, the pair stood up shakily making their way upstairs as they teased one another, gently arguing over who was going to use the bathroom first.

Watching them stumble their way upstairs, Seth couldn't help but grin to himself.  His friends were annoying as hell, but Finn was right, he loved having them around.  Although he'd never admit it, he was grateful that he hadn't had to spend the evening alone.

Shaking his head in amusement, he called for the dogs, taking them for a walk and feeding them before locking up and heading upstairs, laughing as he stopped at the guest room, finding Sami curled up on the bed with Autumn nuzzling up against him. "I see you've met the newest family member.  I figured she'd come down to see us, but she's still a little shaky around the dogs."

Sami grinned up at him, "She's great, so sweet!" 

Seth nodded, "She is, but if she's going to stay in here, you might want to leave the door cracked so she can get out, otherwise she's going to drive you crazy when she wants to use her litter box or grab some food since they're in our bathroom."

Sami shook his head, "You can take her if you want.  I know you're trying to get her used to a routine.  We can play in the morning, right girl?"

Seth smirked at Sami's baby voice, "Sure you can," he agreed.  "We've been keeping the dogs downstairs, but I think I'm going to see if I can get the three of them in the same room tonight so if you hear me having to break up a fight, don't worry."

Sami nodded as Seth grabbed the cat up and said goodnight, shouting at the bathroom to Finn as he left, laughing as Finn yelled back, "I don't want to hear ya and Dean getting off like I had to do last time so try to keep it down!  I'm sure Sami doesn't want that either!"

"You sure you don't want to come watch?  We've never done that before!" Seth shared, making Finn begin to swear at him as Sami began to choke behind him, neither of them used to Seth talking about sex so confidently.

Laughing to himself, Seth made his way to his bedroom, calling the dogs who came bounding up the stairs and easily settled into their beds at Seth's urging as Seth drew Autumn's bed closer to the bed and set her down in it, laughing as the trio all glared at one another.

"Kevin, Blue, Autumn!" he snapped, making them all stare at him with wide eyes.  "You're all here to stay, so deal with it!"  He could have sworn they were all pouting at him as they curled up reluctantly in their beds.

Rolling his eyes, he went to jump in the shower quickly before grabbing his laptop and curling up under his covers, just waiting for Dean to video call him.

The second he got the invitation, Seth was accepting, his body tingling as Dean's face filled the screen, "Hey babe!" he greeted him.

"Hey," Dean said, grinning at him.  "What did you think of the match?"

Seth grinned back, "It was so awesome D!  That was pretty cool."

Dean blushed at the praise, puffing out his chest, "Yeah, well the Hounds win again!" he said playing it off as if it was nothing.

Seth just laughed at him, "Right, but you can't tell me you didn't get a thrill having your hands raised by some of the best in the business."

Dean shrugged, "Maybe," he said shyly.  "I guess it was pretty cool."

"Damn straight it was!" Roman's face joined Dean's as he sat down next to him on his bed, throwing Seth a wave, "Don't let him kid you, he was about to wet his pants!" Dean groaned as Seth and Roman teamed up to tease him.

Eventually, they all settled down, Roman and Seth catching up as Dean threw his own thoughts in.  Dean laughed as Seth chastised him for sending Finn and Sami over to keep him company, but Dean grinned at the happy expression on his face, clearly telling him that he'd enjoyed himself.

He was also happy to hear that the pair were spending the night and they were heading to the gym together in the morning.  He needed to know that Seth wasn't just sitting at home waiting for him to come back and he felt better knowing that people were around if Seth ended up needing anything.

Sighing, Seth shared, "Well, I'm sure you guys are tired and I don't want to keep Sami and Finn up, so I guess I better go.  I'm experimenting with having the boys and Autumn in here tonight, so I'll let you know how that goes D."

Dean laughed, "Good luck with that Princess!  Give them a kiss for me and say hi to the guys for me.  I love you baby."

Seth's expression softened as he whispered back, "Love you too babe.  Just three more days!"

Dean nodded, "Can't wait!"

"Me either," Seth shared before turning to Roman.  "Night Roman, take care of him for me!"

Roman nodded, "I promise.  Have a good night and say hi to your friends for me as well," with a grin, Roman stood up and stretched, making his way to the bathroom to give the pair a chance to say goodbye in private.

Dean frowned, "I miss having you next to me baby."

Seth nodded, "I know, this bed's way too big without you."

"Is that the only thing you miss?" Dean winked at him, drawing a giggle from his fiance.

"What else would I be missing?" Seth asked innocently.

"You know you want the D, Princess!" Dean smirked at him.

Seth rolled his eyes, "Idiot!" he said fondly.  "I did brag to the guys earlier about you dicking me down this weekend."

Dean's laughter burst out of him as he roared, "That's my Princess!  Damn, wish I could have seen their faces," Dean continued to chuckle to himself as he tried to get serious, "I really do miss you baby.  I wish I was there making love to you right now, but I guess this just means that we get to hold it all in until Thursday.  It's going to be explosive!"

Seth blushed at the words as he agreed, "I'll be waiting babe!  Now you better go before this turns into something else and I've already been warned by Finn that he doesn't want to hear it."

Dean laughed again, winking at him, "Maybe we'll make a video for him next time."

Seth blanched, "Umm, no!  Let's pretend this conversation never happened!"

Grinning slyly, Dean shared, "Okay, maybe not for his eyes, but I wouldn't mind having something to watch when I'm on the road.  What do you say babe: want to be my little movie star?" he laughed as Seth's face heated up, the red flaring out across the screen.

Deciding he was in the mood to tease him, Dean blew him a kiss as he said, "Love ya baby, talk to you tomorrow!" and with that he hung up the phone before Seth could respond.

Moments later, Dean grinned as his phone buzzed, signaling a incoming text message.  Picking it up and reading he began to laugh.

_You're evil!  You're going to pay for that when you get home!  I think I'd like a video of me pounding your ass, what do you say?_

Shivering at the thought, Dean began to respond.

States away, Seth held up his phone, reading what his fiance had to say, making him let out a sigh as his whole body trembled at his words.

_I can't wait: I will gladly serve my punishment with a smile!  And who says we can't do both?  I take you and you take me.  Best damn porn on the market!  Get some rest babe, come Thursday that ass is mine!_


	72. Chapter 72

Dean's words left Seth with very pleasant dreams and he wasn't very happy when Finn's pounding on the door snatched him right out of them. 

Groaning, he rolled over and yelled, "Go away!"

"Not gonna happen!" Finn's cheerful voice rang out, making Seth wince.  "Ya can return to ya wet dreams later, get ya ass moving!"

"Gym time!" Sami joined in.

Sighing, Seth forced himself to get up, keenly aware that ignoring them would only make them get worse.  Striding over to the door, he threw it open with no warning, cracking up when they both crashed into the room, making them both swear at him as they stood up, brushing off their knees.

Still chuckling, Seth shared, "I'm going to hit the shower and then take the dogs out.  Did you guys grab something to eat already?"

Sami shook his head, "Nah, we were thinking about stopping for coffee and donuts on the way, but Finn already walked the dogs and fed them so you don't need to worry about that."

Grinning, Seth winked at Finn, "I knew there was a reason I keep you around!  Seriously though, thanks man."

Finn shrugged, "I figured I knew tha routine.  Besides, I figured ya would want to sleep in today.  I'm sure ya wore yaself out last night with Dean," he teased.

Seth just gave him the finger as he turned around to grab clothes and head to the bathroom.  After a quick shower, he joined his friends as they headed out.

...

Seth's mood had drastically improved after he got some coffee in his body and after he got a chance to hit the machines hard at the gym. 

He hadn't realized just how much he was missing working out until he was right in the throws of it, his mind nicely focused as he worked through his regular Crossfit routine.

Afterwards, as he gulped down some water, sitting on one of the benches surveying the room, his mind went over all of the doors that Cesaro and his friends had opened up for him.  Could he be happy focusing primarily on creating a chain of gyms and interspersing his law work into that? 

He knew that if there was a chance to sync up his and Dean's worlds that he'd be thrilled, but would it truly satisfy him in the way that wrestling satisfied Dean?

Sighing, he decided that he needed some friendly advice and went in search of his friends, finding Finn and Sami working out together and rounding them up, both of them thrilled to finally share the possibilities with Matt, who hadn't been there the first time around.

By the time they'd wound up their pitch, Matt was a bit taken aback, but seemed to be open to the idea as well, "I never thought we'd ever find the kind of money it would take to start a chain, but with that kind of backing, I think we really make it work.  We'd have to all be on board 100% though and Seth I just don't see that happening in your court."

Seth frowned, "I've been thinking about leaving the firm, but I'm just not sure if this is direction I want to take my work or not.  Dean seems to think that my passion lies here, do you agree with him?"

All three of them gaped at Seth in disbelief as he casually dropped the bomb about quitting the law firm, leaving Finn sputtering, "Are ya sure about that man?  I mean, that's a big step ta walk away from the family legacy."

"Are you saying I shouldn't?" Seth pressed, hoping for some type of push in one or the other's direction.

"I'm not saying that at all!" Finn insisted.  "This is one decision ya got ta make for yaself Seth, but I have to agree with Dean about this place.  When ya are teaching, ya are a whole other person: focused, happy and content.  Not sure I've ever seen ya that way when ya are at the office or talking about your work."

"You belong here," Matt chimed in.  "You're the best teacher we have here and the most popular and you're positively beaming whenever you walk in here.  I'm not saying that I think you should give up law, but I do think that there's room out there for you to take a step back and follow a pipe dream here.  If it doesn't work out, you can always step back into law, that is if you are serious about leaving the firm."

Sami nodded, "I agree.  You are happy here in a way that you aren't anywhere else but by Dean's side.  Like the others, I can't say that you should leave the firm, but I can see how getting away from your father's shadow and the place that spawned your relationship with Patrick would be a good thing.  Sports law can be pretty profitable."

Seth nodded, "And it would give me a reason to spend more time in Dean's world and maybe do more traveling with him, but this could also all get out of control and leave us all spiraling with too much too fast.  Sometimes our heads our spinning just trying to take care of business here; it will just triple the more gyms that we add, don't you think?"

They all nodded thoughtfully, "I think we've all got a lot to think about," Matt confirmed.  "You said there wasn't any strict time limit on a decision, so that gives us some time to really think about our goals and what we think we can handle.  In the meantime, you should use this time off to figure out where you see your law career going Seth."

Seth gave another sigh, "I intend to, but it would be so much easier if someone would just tell me what I should do!" he whined.

The trio laughed as Sami responded, "And that is the problem with being a adult, buddy!  You've got to make those decisions for yourself.  You said you wanted out from under your father's thumb: well this is your chance!" 

Eyes widening as his words hit him, Seth nodded, "You're right!  I guess I do have a lot to think about, but really, thanks for listening and for the support; all of you.  It's been a rough few years and the three of you are always on my side."

"And we will continue to be!" Sami stated, moving forward to give him a hug as Finn and Matt lay soft punches to his shoulders in solidarity.

After promising to meet them for dinner the following night, Seth left to make his way home.  Feeling a bit more confident, he found himself stopping off at the bookstore, picking up some books on sports law and home practices, determined to figure out just where he wanted to go from here.

With a bounce in his step, he hooked his phone up in the car, dialing Dean's number as he pulled out to head home.

 _"Baby!"_ Dean's voice flooded his speakers.

" _Hey babe, do you have time to talk?"_

_"Yeah, Ro and I are actually just hanging out backstage for a change while the Smackdown guys do their thing.  The house show tomorrow is just a town over so we're all staying at the same hotel."_

_"So you're in the locker room?"_  Seth asked, a bit disappointed.

 _"No!  I'm in the hallway, but I can head outside to the car for a bit if you want.  Is this a booty call?"_ Dean's voice dropped suggestively, making Seth giggle.

_"That wasn't what I had in mind, but you know I'd never turn down a little phone time with you.  Actually, I was just hoping we could talk for a bit and I didn't want to interrupt your time with the guys."_

_"Nah, I'd much rather talk to you.  Ro can handle things until I get back,"_  Seth could hear him walking and then head the car door open and shut as Dean relaxed back in the seat.  " _So, what are you up to?"_

 _"Went to the gym with the guys and then stopped by the bookstore.  I'm just headed home now, actually I'm pulling into the driveway as we speak.  Let me lock up real quick and get inside,"_  Seth explained.

Dean grinned, _"Why don't you hang up and video call me, Princess.  I want to see that pretty face of yours!"_

Laughing, Seth gasped, _"You're lucky I want to see you too, but stop calling me pretty!"_

 _"Am I threatening your manhood baby?  Don't worry, you'll always be a man's man to everyone else, but you'll always be my pretty Princess in the bedroom!"_  Dean quipped.

 _"Sometimes I really hate you!"_ Seth snarled back at him, making Dean chuckle as he responded, _"No you don't baby, but I do love when you assert yourself!"_

 _"We'll see how much you love it when your balls are blue and you're sleeping on the couch!"_ Seth threatened.

 _"You wouldn't do that to me Princess,"_ Dean's contrite voice made Seth giggle again, making Dean smile with glee.  _"God I miss you so much Seth!"_

Seth sighed, _"Me too babe, but you were right, we need to get used to this.  Okay, I'll call you in a few minutes babe."_

 _"I'll be waiting!"_ Dean promised as Seth hung up.

...

Seth made his way into the house quickly, setting down his purchases and greeting the dogs before running upstairs and grabbing a washcloth.

He quickly washed up a bit and changed into a different pair of sweats before grabbing his phone and heading back down the couch, settling down for a long talk as he sent Dean a video invite.

They were just connecting when a knock rang out at the front door.  Looking down at the phone as Dean's smiling face popped up on the screen, Seth shared, _"Someone's knocking babe, let me see who it is."_

Striding to the door and swinging it open, Seth glared as he took in the view of his father and Patrick's father darkening his doorway, "What the hell do you want?" he roared.

"Calm down son!  I've convinced my friend to come here and talk to you one-on-one so the least you can do is show some respect!" his father urged, making Seth roll his eyes.

"I have no interest in anything that you have to say!" Seth snapped back.  "Now if you'll excuse me, I was in the middle of something," he moved to shut the door, but he froze as Patrick's dad's words reached him.

"You're going to want to hear what we have to say.  It's in your best interest and your boyfriend's best interest to make a deal!" he snarled.

Heart clenching, Seth spun back around on them as he heard Dean's shouts coming from the phone, "What the hell are you talking about?  And I think you mean my fiance, don't you?" he asked.

Pushing forward, moving Seth with them, the pair stepped inside and shut the door behind them as Seth's father explained, "We know all there is to know about Dean's past.  The question is if you want everyone else to know it!"

Gaping at them in horror, Seth stood in the middle of his living room as a feeling of dread moved through him.  In his hand, Dean's voice continued to rant from the phone, unheard over the pounding in Seth's ears.


	73. Chapter 73

Shaking himself out of his stunned silence, Seth lifted the phone back up to this ear as he quietly stated, _"I've got to go.  I'll call you as soon as I can,"_ Seth hung up as Dean's shouting got louder.

Turning back to the two men he'd lost all respect for, Seth snapped, "Alright, you have my full attention.  What exactly is it you think you have on Dean?"

As Patrick's father began to explain that they knew about Dean's time in jail, his drug dealing and his parent's various stints in jail for drugs, assault and prostitution, Seth watched his father closely.  Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "You're pretty pleased with yourself aren't you?  You put him up to this, didn't you?  You can't stand to watch me make a life of my own, to be happy on my own terms.  You'd rather I lose everything, my career, my money and love.  Well I've got news for you:  even if tomorrow I ended up on the streets alone, I still wouldn't come crawling back to you for help.  I'm done with your overbearing influence on my life.  I'm the one in control here!  I'm the one making the decisions!" Seth roared before turning to Patrick's father and lowering his voice.  "I'm sorry about your son.  There was a time when Patrick was the most important person in my life; a time when I loved him for the incredible person that he was.  He was my best friend and a amazing boyfriend, but I don't know what happened.  I don't understand it and I'm not sure if I ever will.  He turned my life upside down, he broke me down until all I had left was him and his fists.  He beat me, he raped me and he insulted me until I had no shred of self respect.  He terrorized me and all those that I love and in the end, he was responsible for his own death.  I'm sorry that my father is taking advantage of your grief and I'm sorry that you're hurting because of your loss, but at the end of the day neither Dean or I are the reason that he isn't here anymore.  Now, I take it you want me to make a deal in exchange for your silence about Dean's past?"

"Don't patronize me boy!  I'm tired of listening to your lies about my son!  You broke him down, cheated on him and made him feel worthless.  Yes, I know he crossed the line once, but he was getting help for his problems and he was trying hard to earn back your love and trust.  Instead, you tossed him to the side like yesterday's trash in order to pursue this joke of a relationship you've got going.  You're an embarrassment to your family and the firm and if I had my way, you'd never step foot in our office again!  However, as a favor to my friend, I'm willing to take a step back here.  I'll leave Dean out of the proceedings if you agree to break up this farce and after your leave of absence agree to move to a different area of the company.  I also want a written statement acknowledging your role in my son's death and an agreement that a large financial settlement will be donated in Patrick's name to suicide prevention," Seth stared in disbelief as Patrick's dad laid it all out for him.

Laughing bitterly, Seth shook his head, "You really believe that crap, don't you?  That I drove Patrick to do what he did, that he was truly interested in bettering himself?  Where the hell did you get the idea that he committed suicide?  Your son shot me, he was going to kill my dogs, my friends and my boyfriend without a second thought.  I put myself between him and them and the gun went off during our struggle.  It could have easily been me laying in that ground right now.  I'm beginning to think that maybe you and my dad are the one's who need counseling.  Did you ever stop to think that Patrick was the way he was because of you?  Both of you put so much pressure on us to be perfect at our jobs, at home, in public!  You gave him everything he wanted, but you didn't give him anything that he needed.  You didn't teach him to stand on his own two feet, to own up to his mistakes, you just helped him cover them up again and again."

"Enough!" Patrick's father raised his fist, but was quickly stopped by Seth's dad, who moved in front of him, trying to calm him down before turning towards his son, "You can end all of this right here, right now.  Take the deal and find a way to put your life back together before it all falls apart around you!"

Looking down at the floor, Seth quietly responded, "Get out.  I'll contact you with my decision tomorrow."

Before Patrick's dad could say anything else, Seth's dad urged him to leave, unable to resist leaving his son with some parting words, "In the long run, you're going to realize that this all for the best.  This is the best thing for everyone involved.  You can get back to concentrating on your career and Dean can focus on his own work."

Ignoring him, Seth slammed the door behind them, locking up as he slumped against it with a sigh.  He knew he needed to call Dean, but he wasn't sure he was ready for that conversation.

...

"Fuck!" Dean drove his fists back into the wall for the second time, prompting Roman to dive over and restrain him, pulling him to the center of the room and making him sit down as the other guys in the locker room looked on warily.  Figuring that Roman had things under control, the others headed out to give them a little time alone.

"Talk to me Uce, what's going on with Seth?" Roman asked, knowing that only one thing could get to Dean this much.

"Fucking asshole bastard mother fuckers..." Dean continued to mumble, nervously twitching and rubbing his collar bone as he fought with the swirling voices currently occupying his head.

"Dean!" his head swiveled to the side as Roman slapped his face, bringing him back to awareness in the quickest way possible.  As his breathing settled, he gave Roman a grateful look, "Thanks Uce!  Fuck, I need to go to Seth."

Roman tilted his head at him, "Did something happen to Seth?  Because if it's not a emergency, you can't go anywhere D.  We've got a show tomorrow and Thursday and then you can go home."

Dean began to pace again, "Those two assholes showed up at Seth's door.  They're trying to use me to blackmail him into settling with Patrick's family.  He fucking hung up on me Uce.  What the hell am I supposed to do with that?!  That tells me that he's actually fucking considering taking a deal to protect me.  I can't let that happen!" he roared.

"Assholes?  I take it you mean Patrick's father and Seth's?" Roman inquired, making Dean shoot him a glare as he yelled, "Of course that's who I mean!  Seth's dad obviously put him up to this.  He thinks if he can drive a wedge between us he can get a foothold back on running Seth's life for him!"

Roman shook his head as he moved to Dean's side, "Seth's not going to give into him after all of this."

"He will if he thinks he's protecting me!  He jumped in front of a bullet for me Ro, he'd easily turn his back on our relationship if he thought it was what was best for me!" Dean drove his fist at the wall again, but this time Roman stopped him before it could reach it's goal.

"Come on D, let's go back to the hotel and I'll call Seth alright?  I'll get you guys all set up with a video chat and then I'll meet up with the guys for some drinks while you guys talk.  You need to find out exactly what's going on before you go expecting the worse.  You and Seth are a team and you need to be on the same page here before any decisions are made," Roman grabbed his arms, surprised when Dean didn't put up a fight, meekly following behind him as he pulled him to their car.

...

Seth paced his living room as his mind swirled through all of the ways he could make this situation right.  He nervously bit his finger nails as he rubbed the screen of his phone, trying to talk himself into calling Dean back. 

He wanted to talk to him, to hear him reassure him that everything was going to be alright, but for the life of him, Seth couldn't figure out any way out of this without hurting Dean in the process. 

If he gave into his father, he'd be putting himself right back into the situation he'd finally dug himself out of.  He'd be giving up his life and his future and he'd be devastating Dean.  He knew that neither of them could function without the other at this point, but if he refused and went forward with defending himself in the lawsuit, he knew they would make Dean's life a living hell, threatening his job in the process.

Anger whirling up in his chest, he found himself picking up the pillows on the couch and tossing them across the room, but it did nothing to help quell the feeling.

His phone going off made him freeze as he looked down at it, expecting to see Dean's name, but surprised when instead he found Roman's flashing up at him.  Worried that something was seriously wrong, he quickly answered.

 _"Is Dean okay?"_ he shouted as soon as they connected.

 _"Of course he's not okay Uce!  He's bouncing off the walls, throwing punches and descending inside of his head.  I barely managed to get him back to the hotel in one piece.  You can't leave him hanging like that Seth, you're supposed to be making decisions together, not cutting him out of the equation.  Silence is only going to hurt him more,"_ Roman admonished him.

Sighing, Seth mumbled, _"I needed a little time to get my head together before I called him.  I don't plan on doing anything without talking to him first, alright?"_

 _"Good, then you won't mind a nice old video chat then will you?  I'll be sending you a invite in a few minutes and you better accept it because he was about to jump on the first plane flight back to you earlier and I wouldn't put it past him to somehow manage to sneak by me,"_  Roman's tone left no room for arguments as he hung up on him, cutting Seth off before he could respond.

Shaking his head, he shot Roman a text asking him to give him ten minutes to take the dogs out before he set Dean up for the chat, immediately receiving a confirmation back that warned him that if he didn't answer, Roman himself would personally fly out there and bang both of their heads together.

Giggling in spite of himself, Seth called the dogs and quickly took them out and fed them before locking up and heading upstairs, making sure that Autumn was also good to go with food and water before settling down on the bed against the headboard.  His legs bounced nervously as he waited, afraid to face Dean head on.

The ping on his laptop made him gulp, but he hit the accept button with no hesitation.  At the end of the day, no matter how anxious he was, he always wanted and needed to see Dean.

As the screen popped up and they both got their first glimpses of one another, they both settled back against their respective headboards as they peered at one another, desperately trying to get a read on the other.

Wincing, Seth's head dropped as he made the first move, _"I'm sorry I hung up on you babe, but I just couldn't let you listen to them like that.  You don't deserve that or need that."_

 _"Neither do you Princess!"_  Dean's sad tone made Seth's heart twinge with guilt _._   _"Ro said something to me earlier and he's right: we're a team now and we're supposed to be facing things together head on.  We've got to trust in one another and this bond between us because if we can't do that then we might as well call it quits right now and walk away before we destroy one another even more!"_ Dean pushed, determined to figure out where they stood.

 _"No!"_  Seth's stricken tone told Dean everything he needed to know.   _"I don't want to lose you D!  I love you and I need you with me.  I just needed a few minutes to get my mind together.  I wasn't expecting that, even if I should have.  There's nothing else they could possibly hold over me except you.  My father knows I would do anything to insure your happiness."_

Dean's body began to tremble as he pleaded with him, _"I can't lose you either baby!  Don't let them win Seth!  Don't let all of this be for nothing, because that's what my life would be without you: nothing!"_

Seth began to sob at his words as he gasped, _"I don't want that either, but what can we do?  I d-d-don't want you to l-l-lose your job!  Y-y-you'll end up hating me for it and then what will we be left with?"_

 _"Fuck!"_ Dean slammed his fist into the headboard, overcome by the fact that he couldn't comfort his crying fiance.  He hated seeing him so upset and knowing that it was all because of his own past mistakes and misdeeds.   _"I'm sorry baby, I'm so sorry that my past is fucking with us!"_

 _"S'not your fault!  It's my bastard father who set this all in motion,"_ he slumped down into the pillows as he closed his eyes, letting out a sigh.  _"I don't know what to do,"_ he mumbled.

Sitting up straight, Dean seized his opportunity to get through to him, _"You can't let them win Princess!  Don't let them force you back into that box.  I don't know what they dug up on me, but my past has always been out there for anyone to see.  I've never hidden it or tried to run away from it.  Hell, I included it in so many of my early promos._   _They're not going to penalize me for it."_

 _"But it will be all over the news and eventually they're going to get tired of all of the negative attention and take the belts from you.  It's not fair to you or Roman!"_  Seth's voice broke again, making Dean twitch.

 _"Look at me baby,"_ Dean continued to plead with him, smiling when Seth's eyes rose to his own.  _"You're family Seth, mine and Roman's.  There's nothing that we wouldn't do for you and I know that runs both ways, but this baby, this isn't the way for any of us.  We belong together, right?"_

Seth nodded sorrowfully at him, tears still glinting in his eyes.

Dean nodded back, _"Then anything that happens will work itself out, alright?  We'll figure it out as we go just like we have with everything else.  I'll talk to Vince and Hunter and we'll make it work somehow.  Hell, maybe we can make it seem like a angle we're working, have Cesaro and Sheamus come at us with the info in a promo.  If we get it out there before they can we can curb the blow back.  What exactly is the deal they want you to make?"_

Seth sighed, _"They want me to break up with you and Patrick's father wants me to transfer to a different office in the building.  My father wants me back in the family fold, which means his lawyers, his money, his control."_

 _"Fuck that!"_  Dean snapped.   _"Have you made any decisions about your work while I've been gone?"_

Seth threw a troubled smile at him, _"Ironically, I was pretty excited to call you and tell you that I'd stopped at the bookstore to get some reading material just for that reason.  I had a long talk with the guys at the gym today and they are all leaving the decision up to me about pursuing this thing with Cesaro and his friends.  I wanted a little more time to figure out if it would all work, but now I guess they're making the decision for me."_

Now it was Dean's turn to lose it as the tears began to roll down his face, _"No, baby, don't do this to me!"_

Eyes widening, Seth's hand rose to the screen, trying to reassure him, _"Shit, no babe, that's not what I meant!  I already decided that I couldn't give into them earlier.  I just needed to hear your take on things.  I needed to know that this is what you want and that you're willing to face the consequences with me."_

 _"Always Princess!"_  Dean stated emphatically.

Seth's smile had Dean beaming back at him as Seth's words helped drive away the dark clouds that had been swirling through his mind, _"I love you D and I can't and I won't let them ruin that, but this isn't going to be easy and if I'm going to do this I need to do it right.  I can't work in that place anymore.  I can't be in the same building with him, wondering what he and my father are going to be up to next.  Mr. Meyers is always going to be on their side no matter how much he says otherwise and honestly, I have no real drive to go back there.  I think I'm ready for the next step.  I don't know if this gym thing will work out, but no matter what, I know that I want to try something different, maybe start my own home law practice or something."_

Dean's head dropped into his hands for a moment as he got himself together before raising his head and piercing Seth's eyes with his own again, _"Thank you baby!  I'm going to make sure that you don't end up regretting this, alright?  I promise you Princess that I'm going to make this all be okay!  I love you and no one and nothing is going to ruin this, alright?"_

Tears began to stream down Seth's face once again, _"I believe you babe.  You always do."_

Dean eyes suddenly flashed at him as he grinned slyly at him, _"Speaking of making things right, I'm thinking maybe there's something I could do for you to make you relax,"_ Dean winked at him, making Seth giggle as he rolled his eyes at him, _"Really D?"_

Dean just laughed at him, _"Are you telling me that you don't appreciate a change of subject?  I don't know about you, but I certainly need this Princess!"_

Seth continued to giggle, his body relaxing back as he winked back at Dean, _"Alright, lay it on me!"_

As Dean began to describe in great detail exactly what he wanted to be doing to Seth right that moment, Seth let himself fall into the loving space Dean was creating for him, eagerly coming back with his own ideas as they worked themselves both into climax, drinking in the image of the other's body laid out before them.

Sharing their love one more time and promising to talk in the morning, they finally let one another go, both falling back into their pillows as their minds once again drifted to the inevitable chaos that was coming their way. 

Dean drifted off thinking about how he was going to get Seth through this while Seth tossed and turned throughout the night as he continued to try to figure out how to minimize the damage to Dean's reputation.


	74. Chapter 74

Roman had come back to their room after Dean had fallen asleep and he did his best to be quiet, happy to see his friend relaxed and comfortable again.  He hoped that he'd managed to get through to both Dean and Seth.  Shaking his head, he quickly got ready for bed. 

He woke up to Dean sliding open the balcony door.  Sitting up, he could see his friend pacing outside, a lit cigarette dangling from his mouth as he carried on what looked like an intense phone conversation.

Sitting up, Roman rubbed his eyes and stretched, determined to be there to listen when Dean decided to rejoin him.  Quicker than he anticipated, Dean was making his way back into the room, wincing as he saw that his friend was awake, "Sorry Uce, didn't want to disturb you."

Roman shrugged, "It's fine, I planned on getting up early and going for a run anyways.  What's up?"

Dean sighed, "I've been on the phone with Hunter trying to help head off a disaster."

Roman raised a eyebrow at him as Dean sat down, sprawling across the bottom of his bed as he told him about his talk with Seth the previous night.

"Seth's afraid that bad press will force them to take the belts off of us, but I think if we can get Hunter and the Old Man on our side with this, we can turn this into a angle gold mine for them.  It wouldn't be the first time that reality has bled into my promos," Dean explained.

Roman nodded thoughtfully, "It could work.  I mean Cesaro and Sheamus are going to be gunning for us for a bit so it would make sense that they would decide to get dirty to try to get the belts back."

Dean laughed, "I thought the same thing, but apparently Shea wants to head back to Ireland for a bit and visit his family and he wants Tony to go with him.  They asked for a month off and they surprisingly gave it to them!  So the plan is to wait on their rematch until they get back."

Roman frowned, "That's great for them, but what are we supposed to do now?  And that's definitely not helping your cause any!"

Dean grinned, "That's what I asked, but get this, that whole Wyatt reappearance wasn't for naught.  We've got ourselves an old-fashioned handicapped-feud ahead of us.  Hunter said something about Bray teaming up with a different brother each time, with the idea being that the trio would hold the belts if they won."

Roman grinned, "I like it, but there's been no set up so where does that leave you with this whole promo thing?"

Dean shrugged, "I presented the idea to Hunter.  I laid it all out for him and he seemed sympathetic.  He said he'd talk to Vince and get back to me later.  If he's on board, I think it can still work out.  I mean, imagine Bray coming out to talk about how similar we are to one another.  There's always been this weird fascination between us, right?  I think we can capitalize on it and make it seem like Bray sees us as some type of compadres in hell or whatever with all of our "demons."

Roman laughed, "There's a image I didn't need!  Seriously though, it sounds promising.  Should drum up a lot of interest and I think Vince will be happy with the idea."

Dean sighed, "I hope so because Seth isn't going to be able to take it if his dad gets his way and drudges up my past.  I don't give a fuck what those two want to say about me, but Seth does and I'm tired of watching him hurt.  When the hell is all of this going to end Uce?  Why can't we just be happy?"

Roman leaned over, his hands moving to Dean's neck and giving him a little rub, relaxing Dean's stiff muscles before patting him on the back, "You will be D, you just have to hold on for a little while longer.  Get through this court case and make this therapy work for you guys and then you'll be home free.  I know it sucks, but all Seth needs is your strength, your love and your understanding."

Dean gave him a nudge back, "Thanks Ro.  Have I told you just how much I appreciate you?  I wouldn't be able to get through all of this without you man, thank you for saving me from myself!"

"Any time Uce!" Roman rose to his feet to get ready for his run, laughing as Dean reluctantly agreed to come along, already whining about missing his desert runs in Vegas.

...

While Dean was taking care of things on his end, Seth was making his own moves, rising early and calling his boss, setting up a meeting for later in the afternoon.  After that, he called up Cesaro, ready to chat seriously about making a move towards investing in a chain of gyms.

He was surprised to find out that he was getting ready to take a flight to Ireland to meet Sheamus' family, but he was pleased when Tony shared that although Sheamus would be spending the full month there, he would only be spending a couple of weeks before returning home.

The pair agreed to set up a meeting with J and J and Seth's friends when he got back.  Before he knew it, Seth was sharing what was going on with him and Dean as Cesaro shared his own anxiety about taking things to another level with Sheamus. 

As they reassured one another, Seth was surprised by just how much he'd come to like the man, hopeful that this potential partnership could end up being a great thing for all of them in the long run.

After letting his new friend go, Seth reluctantly texted his father and Patrick's father, setting up a dinner meeting for later that night at Marco's, deciding that if he was going to do this, he wanted it to be in public on familiar turf. 

Deciding to give his friend a heads up first, Seth made his way to his favorite restaurant, where he sat down for a early lunch as he poured his heart out to his chosen father figure, who was sympathetic to what Seth had been going through, offering any assistance he could and a continued ear to lend to him. 

Marco also promised to help him keep things under control that evening by having his back.  The statement gave Seth a idea and he ended up texting his friends to invite them to the dinner as well along with his mother, who he left in the dark about what was going on.

Deciding he'd done everything he could to shift things in his and Dean's favor, Seth headed out to make the trip over to the law firm, dialing Dean's number on his way, laughing when a panting Dean answered.

 _"Do I want to know what you've been up to babe?"_ he teased.

Dean laughed mockingly, _"Haha, so funny!  Ro and I just got back from a run.  You know how much of a slave driver he is!"_ Seth grinned as Roman's muttering could be heard in the background.

 _"Well I've been productive this morning.  I made dinner reservations at Marco's where I intend to tell my dad and Patrick's father to go to hell as you asked, but I made sure my friends will be there for support and that my mom will be there to hopefully keep my dad on a leash.  I'm on my way now to talk to my boss."_ Seth explained.  _"I also spoke to Tony and we're all going to get together when he gets back from his trip."_

Dean sighed, _"Yeah, about that, I talked to Hunter this morning and he informed me that there will be no rematch until the guys are both back in the country."_

Seth gasped, the truth just hitting him, _"Fuck, I didn't even think about that!  This means your plan won't work!"_

Dean winced at the pain flooding his fiance's voice, _"Hey,"_ he cut him off.  _"I thought the same thing at first, but then Hunter told me that Ro and I are entering a renewed feud with the Wyatts so I suggested we use Bray to do what we need done.  Hunter seemed eager and I'm hoping he can convince Vince too.  I'll let you know the minute I know anything, alright?"_

Seth sighed, _"Alright, I'm sorry they've backed you into a corner with this babe.  Are you sure you wouldn't be better off without me?"_

"No!" Dean snapped.  _"I thought we laid that idea to rest last night: there is nothing or no one that I need more than you Princess!"_

Seth smiled, his voice dropping, _"Same here D!  Okay, we'll stick with the plan as is and hope your bosses come through in time.  I'm pulling into the office now so I better let you go.  Love you D."_

 _"Love you too baby!  Go do what you need to do,"_ Dean made a kissing noise into the phone, making Seth giggle, helping relax him a bit, which had been Dean's goal.

Squaring his shoulders, Seth prepared for battle.

...

For all the pain and hard work that had gone into Seth's years in the office, the ending came surprisingly quick as he sat down with his boss and explained the situation. 

Although clearly distressed, Mr. Meyers didn't seem all that surprised by the news that Seth was planning on making his leave of absence a permanent one, "I can't say I'm not disappointed Seth.  Just a few months ago you were headed straight for a partner role here, but I can understand why you'd be uncomfortable here.  I can't say I don't see my friend's sides to this, but I agree that you didn't intentionally bring any of this upon yourself.  Again, I apologize for not providing you with the safe working environment that we should have done.  If you ever need anything, just let me know and I will be more than willing to provide any type of references you may need," he stated, shaking Seth's hand.

Nodding, Seth thanked him, "I appreciate everything that I've learned from you and all of the opportunities that you gave me.  I wish things could have been different, but I feel like this is a fresh start for me.  There is one thing you can do for me.  My secretary Nancy has provided nothing but top level service since she's been with me.  It would be a shame for her to lose her job just because I'm leaving."

"Say no more: I already planned on finding another position for her here.  She's been very loyal to all of us and always pitches in when we're short handed.  You don't need to worry about her at all," Mr. Meyers shared.

"Thank you sir," Seth shook his hand once more.  As the pair stood up, his boss had one more thing to share, "I'd like you to continue to work with the lawyer I provided you and I really do wish you luck.  If you do end up setting up a home practice and ever feel like freelancing, you will always have a place here."

Seth exited to his own office, quickly packing up the few possessions he wanted to take with him before taking a final look around, remembering coming to the building as a child with his father and looking up in awe at all of the men he felt were doing such a serious, important job.

His mind cycled through the early days of his relationship with Patrick and all of the stolen kisses during lunches in his office and the laughs he'd shared with him there before it all turned into a nightmare.  Shivering a bit, Seth took a deep breath as he made himself think about Dean's flowers and their first lunch date.

Yes, he'd been through a rollercoaster of ups and downs here, but at the end of the day, he was happy with what he'd accomplished here and he wouldn't give up his current happiness for anything.

With a smile, Seth shut the final door on his previous life as he walked out of his office and the building for the last time.


	75. Chapter 75

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally back after a trip and being sick! Hopefully, I can get back to regularly updating now :)

_"You've got this Princess!"_ Dean's words of encouragement rang out over the phone line, warming Seth's soul. 

 _"I wish you were here D,"_ he sighed.

 _"I know baby, but seriously, you're going to be fine.  You've got your mom and your friends there to back you up and Ro and I are just a phone call away.  Do what you need to do and get out of there and go home and cuddle up with our boys and our baby girl, alright?"_ Dean tried to reassure him.

 _"Okay babe, I'll try.  I just hate this!"_ Seth found himself whining.

Dean laughed at him, _"I know you do, but you can't let them get to you because that's exactly what they want.  You're the one moving on with his life here and they're the ones stuck in the past.  Just remember that and you'll be fine."_

 _"Okay, I can't wait for tomorrow night Dean, I miss you so much!"_ Seth gave another sigh.

 _"Same here Princess.  I just want to get these house shows over with so I can come home to you and the brats!  I love you Seth, but no more procrastinating!  Go meet the assholes for dinner and I'll go take care of this match here and then we can talk afterwards,"_ Dean firmly stated.

Seth frowned at the phone, but agreed, _"I'm going, I'm going.  Good luck with the match and tell Ro the same.  Love you too babe."_

As the dial tone rang, Seth hung up his end and reluctantly slid out of his car and headed to the entrance of the restaurant to wait for his friends.  He'd seen his parents entering when he'd pulled in, but he had no urge to walk in there without his backup.

Pacing for a couple of minutes, he was relieved when Finn's car drove up, Sami and Matt bouncing out and making their way over as Finn locked it up.

"Hey Seth!" Sami's cheerful voice made Seth wince.  He should have known the minute he asked his friends to come along that they'd be fired up for the chance to get in on the action.  He knew they hated not being able to do anything to help him.

Shaking his head, Seth responded, "Hey Sami, can you take it down a notch?  I'm nervous enough as it is!"

"Now, now, don't get bitchy Sethie!" Finn strolled up.  "We get how stressful this is for ya, but we're here ta make sure that it goes smoothly for ya so ya have no reason ta worry."

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, his friend's teasing already making him relax in spite of himself, "Fuck off!"

Finn just laughed as he threw his arm around his shoulders, "So are we ready ta quadruple team these assholes or what?"

Sami giggled as he squeezed in on Seth's other side holding his fist out in the classic Shield pose, making Seth smile as Matt and Finn did the same, the trio waiting for him to join in.  Laughing, he stuck his own out as they all bumped fists. 

With Dean's reassurances still ringing in his ears and his friend's support at his side, Seth squared his shoulders and prepared for battle, turning to head inside.

...

The second that his father saw him walking up with his friends, the gloating smile on his face dropped as he realized that his plan wasn't working.

Seth went to greet his mother with a hug before settling down on the other side of the table, Finn taking the seat to his right and Sami and Matt taking the seats on the left of him.  

Taking a deep breath, he looked over at the the man that he'd grown to hate, ready to dismiss his offer and get out as soon as possible, but he was interrupted by Marco, who arrived with some appetizers and a bottle of wine, which his father enthusiastically popped open.

As he poured him a glass, he began to talk, "Well son, you've had plenty of time to make the right decision here.  I know that you're reluctant to break things off, but believe me, in the long run it's the best case scenario for everyone."

Seth choked out a laugh, "For who besides you?  In what universe is breaking up with my fiancé good for Dean or I?"

His father's placating voice made Seth wince as he laid out another one of his "this is best for you" spiels, "I know you don't see it right now son, but your relationship with this man has brought nothing but trouble for both of you.  Dean was clearly doing just fine without you.  His "career" was on the right track and he had a sweet, nice girl at his side.  If his past comes out now, he's going to be left with nothing and his friend is going to suffer as well.  Is that what you want?  Besides, since you've met him, you've lost everything important in your own life, I'm sure even your friends would agree that you've changed for the worst."

Before Seth could even form a response, his mother was cutting him off, "Enough!  I knew something wasn't right about this whole thing, but I really hoped that you were attempting to make things right, but I should have known better!  I've kept my mouth shut for too long at this point and I've let our son suffer because of it!  We pushed him down the path that we wanted for him without even thinking about what he might have wanted or what he needed and in the process we sat him right inside of a toxic relationship that tore apart two families in the process and put our son in the hospital and your best friend's son in the ground.  Enough is enough!  I've watched you hurt him for the last time!  If you continue to pursue this, I will leave.  You need to think about what's really important to you!"

Both Seth and his father stared at her in disbelief, neither of them prepared for her to make a stand.  As his father began to sputter at her, she turned to Seth, "Don't let them force you into making a decision that you will regret for the rest of your life.  I've seen you with Dean and I'm convinced that what you have is the real thing.  You love and support one another and you listen to one another; those are rare things and it would be a shame to toss that aside.  You both would be miserable without the other.  I'm not saying it will be easy, but together I think you can deal with anything.  I'm not sure what they've threatened you with, but it's not worth it baby!" she leaned over and laid a kiss on Seth's forehead as she gave him a hug and stood up, walking out.

As silence reigned over the table, Seth tried to get his thoughts back together, but before he could, Patrick's father was finally making his entrance, looking a bit flustered, making Seth realize that he must have run across his mother, who'd apparently had some choice words for him as well.

As he sat down, the occupants of the table all glared at one another uncomfortably before Seth's father finally broke the silence, "Clearly your flight of fancy's have gotten to your mother as well.  Of course I want you to be happy son, but I refuse to sit back and watch you throw your life away on a man who isn't worth the gum on the bottom of your shoe!"

Seth slammed his fist down into the center of the table, making his friends jump, "Shut up!  I'm done listening to what you or him have to say.  I came here today for one thing and one thing only: to let you know that this is over!  I'm done with listening to your advice and your threats and your putdowns.  I will not be giving into your blackmail, today, tomorrow or the next day!  I am marrying Dean and we are building a life together.  Do what you need to do, but you won't win!  You can't drive a wedge between us and you can't force me into doing your bidding!"

Standing up, his friends immediately stood to follow him, but before he could make his way out, Patrick's father's smug voice stopped him, "I knew we couldn't count on you!  You've always been a sniveling disappointment.  You're weak and weakness always make you make the wrong decisions.  But that's okay because I knew how this would play out, but I respect my friend and his choices and he wanted a chance to get through to you, I'm just sorry he has to deal with a son who has no respect for him and all that he's done for him!  Now, now you're going to find out what it means to lose everything you've ever cared about!  I'm going to take everything you own in the court case, but first I'm going to take away the man that you love.  He's never going to be able to look at you the same again," he smirked at him.

Leaning over and grabbing his collar, Seth hissed, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Laughing, Patrick's father casually stated, "I knew there would be no deal so I didn't uphold my end either.  By this time tomorrow, the whole world will know what kind of a man Dean Ambrose really is."

Shaking, Seth moved to strike him, but Finn got a hold of him, pulling him back as his other friends moved to help him as Finn tried to calm him down, leaning over and whispering to him, "Don't give them what they want.  They just want ya ta lose it so they can call the cops on ya and make things worse.  Come on, ya need to go call Dean, alright?"

Closing his eyes in defeat, Seth nodded reluctantly as he let them lead him away, Marco stopping them on the way out with boxes of takeout for them to share.  As his friends thanked him, Seth looked back at the table, his last image that of his father and Patrick's toasting their evil pact.

...

Seth had spent the drive home lost in his thoughts, unable and unwilling to talk about it.  As they pulled up, he jumped out and ran into the house and up to his bedroom, locking himself in as he dialed Dean's number.  He groaned in frustration as all he got was his voicemail.

Reaching out he tossed the pillows across the room in frustration as he stood up and began to pace, unconsciously mirroring Dean when he was in one of his fits.

As he paced, he tried to reach Dean again, once again getting voicemail, "Fuck!" he let out a scream, which drew Sami to his door and made a sleeping Autumn jump up from his bed and go hide in the corner. 

He sighed as Sami's quiet voice floated into the room, "Seth, come downstairs and we can try to talk this out.  You need to let it out or you're going to drive yourself crazy!  Come eat and then you can try Dean again."

Sighing, Seth stomped out and down the stairs, grabbing a bowl of pasta and some bread and slamming himself down onto the couch as he looked at them expectantly, "Well?  Whatever you want to say, just get it over with!"

Sharing a concerned look with the others, Matt stood up and came to sit next to Seth, laying a hand on his shoulder and ignoring his glare, "This sucks, we all know that, but losing it and flipping out is only letting them win buddy!  They want you off-kilter and scared, but the only way you can beat them is if you hold it together.  If you take a deep breath and figure out what you need to do from here.  We've got your back and you've got your mom and Roman and his family and most importantly Dean on your side."

At Dean's name, Seth's composure finally broke as he let out a sob, Sami instantly sliding over to him and pulling him into a hug as Finn joined them on the couch, the trio just letting Seth have his breakdown.

Burying his head into Sami's shoulder, Seth let the anger and fear and confusion out.  He wasn't sure how long he was crying, but eventually he raised his head and managed to talk, "I'm not sure I can do this.  I can't sit back and watch Dean be destroyed because of something I did!"

Standing up, Finn kneeled down in front of him, "You're not going ta let that happen!  We're not going ta let that happen!  Dean needs your brain and your strength and your love right now and that's what ya need from him, right?  You'll figure it out, ya always have before and ya will again.  Your mom was right when she said that ya belong together.  That's been clear since tha moment ya met.  Now, why don't ya get some food in ya and then get some sleep and in tha morning ya and Dean can figure it all out and whatever ya need from us, it's done, got me?"

Laughing in spite of himself, Seth nodded, "Yeah, I got it.  Thanks you guys, seriously!  I don't know what I'd do without you.  You've always been there for me even when I've been a total ass to you."

Sami laughed, "You're our asshole, same way Finn is!"

Finn reached over to punch him, making Seth jump away from them as he and Matt watched the two wrestle playfully before they all settled down to eat, turning on a soccer game that Finn wanted to watch.

Finishing up, Seth tried calling Dean again, frowning as he once again was sent to his voicemail box.  He knew that the house show should already be over and he was getting a bit worried.

As his friends offered to spend the night, Seth gently encouraged them to head home, telling them he needed a little time to himself to think things over.  After promising to call them in the morning and meet them for lunch, the trio reluctantly left.

He laughed as he turned around and found the dogs staring at him expectantly.  They'd been surprisingly good during their meal, not standing around begging as they usually were, perhaps sensing that something wasn't right with their owner.

"Come on brats!" he said as he went over and tossed them some scraps left over from their Italian feast.  As they ate, he went and filled their food bowls and changed their water before heading upstairs and doing the same for Autumn, who was curled up on his pillow, casually opening one eye at him as he entered, clearly trying to see if he was still in a bad mood. 

Moving to sit down next to her, he gently leaned down and nuzzled up against her, "I'm sorry girl, I didn't mean to scare you.  I'm just worried about your dad.  Some bad men are trying to hurt him and I don't know what to do about it," purring Autumn snuggled up against him, licking his nose and making him giggle.  Giving her one more pat, he shared, "I'm gonna go walk your brothers, but then maybe you can come sit with us downstairs, I don't think I can go to sleep right now."

Sitting up, he did just that, Kevin and Blue barking enthusiastically as he leashed them up and took them out.  After coming back and locking up, he called for Autumn, grinning as she poked her little head around the doorway at the top of the stairs, "Hey girl, come to daddy!" 

He admonished the dogs as they barked at her, making her freeze on the stairs during her descent.  Shaking his head, he went over and picked her up, carrying her over to the couch where he set up a pillow and a blanket, calling the dogs up to lay at his feet as he sat Autumn down on the pillow with him.

Feeling as relaxed as he currently could be, he channel surfed, finally settling on a old tv comedy he enjoyed and let himself drift off into his thoughts, eventually drifting off as the animals fell asleep with him.

It was this image that greeted a grinning Dean, who let himself into the house quietly, the only light coming from the flickering television screen, lighting up Seth's face, making Dean's grin drop as he got a look at his lover's stress-filled, clearly tear-streaked face.

After what had been a surprising evening of his own, Dean had chosen to ignore Seth's phone calls, figuring that getting to him would be better than taking the time to try to explain everything to him.  Now seeing his fiancé's face, he wondered if he'd made the wrong decision.

With a sigh, he leaned down, gently swinging Seth up and into his arms, making the animals all blink up at him slowly, but before the dogs could start barking at him, he gently tapped them on their noses, "It's me boys, now shut up and follow me upstairs!"

Following at his feet excitedly, Dean managed to scoop up the kitten as well and carried her and Seth up to their bed, laying them down gently as he let the dogs up onto the bed, forcing them to lay down as he took off Seth's pants, leaving him in his boxers and then attempted to slide his shirt off without waking him.

He froze as Seth rolled over, pulling his arms away and breathed a sigh of relief as he just curled around his pillow, mumbling Dean's name in his sleep, bringing the grin back to Dean's face.

Sitting up, he ran to the bathroom and got ready for bed before coming out and turning off the light, sliding in next to Seth, who immediately slid into his arms, his head resting on Dean's chest like it was made for him.  Unable to resist, Dean left a kiss on Seth's forehead as Seth's confused voice rang out, his words vibrating over Dean's heart, "D?"

"Shh, yeah I'm here Princess.  Go back to sleep!" Dean's hand caressed his hair.

"B-b-but, your house show, not s'posed to be here," Seth mumbled tiredly as he attempted to sit up.

Dean giggled, "We'll talk about it tomorrow baby.  Right now, we both could use a good night's rest, something I know I haven't had all week.  It's all going to be okay Seth, I promise!"

Deciding he must be dreaming, Seth snuggled back into him contentedly, "Okay," he said with a giggle.  "Love you so much babe!  I don't think you know just how much I need you!"

Looking down at him fondly, Dean lay another kiss to his cheek, "I do Princess, believe me I do.  The same way I need you.  Love you Seth, never forget that!"

Happiness bubbling up in his chest, Dean got comfortable as he tightened his grip on a already sleeping Seth, letting himself drift off with him.


	76. Chapter 76

Flashes of sunlight were streaming through the curtains by the time that Seth finally realized that he hadn't just dreamed that Dean had come home early to be with him. 

As he attempted to roll over to hide from the light, the arms gripping tightly to him made him freeze as his eyes popped open, staring in disbelief at Dean's relaxed face above him, his head still perched on Dean's chest.

His heart racing, he forced himself to stay still, unwilling to disturb the peaceful sleep that he knew often eluded his lover.  No matter how much he wanted to know what was going on, he wouldn't take that away from him.

With a pleased sigh, he snuggled closer, biting down on his bottom lip to keep his giggles from escaping as he realized the dogs were sprawled across their feet and Autumn was snuggled up against Dean's other shoulder. 

Of course, that became impossible as suddenly Dean's fingers were poking him along his side as he began to tickle him mercilessly as Dean's eyelids popped open and he smirked at him, "What's so funny over there Princess, huh?"

Shaking his head, Seth tried to squirm away, making the dogs growl at them as they were roughly pushed over as Autumn stood up, back hunched as she hissed at them.  Full on laughing now, Seth struggled to catch his breath, making Dean grin as his favorite snorts began to escape his fiancé's mouth.

"D...s-s-s-t-t-t-o-p-p-p!" he begged, only encouraging Dean to push him down and pounce on him, his hands now moving across his body, making him thrash around.

Finally, as Dean took a short pause, Seth was able to get the upper hand, pushing up and into Dean as he returned the favor, his fingers thrashing into his side, making Dean chuckle as they began to playfully wrestle against one another, the animals deciding they'd had enough as they jumped down to their respective beds and lay down glaring up at them.

Stopping to catch their breath, the pair fell back down onto the pillows as they turned on their sides to look at one another, sharing goofy smiles as they basked in their close proximity.  It had only been a few days apart, but with everything going on it had felt like a lifetime to them both.

"Thought I dreamed you," Seth shared as he lazily ran his hand up and down Dean's forearm.

Dean grinned, "Sorry I didn't answer your calls, but everything happened so fast and I was rushing to get on the plane."

Seth frowned, "Yeah, don't do that again, I was worried about you!  I appreciate the surprise, but I kept having all of these horrible images running through my mind about what was keeping you from answering."

Dean's face dropped, "Sorry baby, I was just so excited to come see you and I figured the guys would be with you."

Seth shrugged, "They were, but I asked them to leave.  I needed some time to myself to process everything."

Dean reached out to cup his face as he softly murmured, "Judging by the look on your face when I got here last night, things didn't go well?"

Seth gave a bitter laugh, "Yeah, you can say that!  My mom stood up against my father and I told him exactly where he could stick it, but then Patrick's father showed up and shared that he'd already broken the deal anyways," Seth's eyes dropped as his voice weakly stated, "He said this morning everyone would know who you really are.  Fuck, I'm so sorry D!  I really thought we had a chance to get ahead of him."

"Hey!" Dean scooted forward, reaching out and bringing Seth to him as he tipped his head and gently brushed his lips with his own, "Those two bastards can do whatever they want because it's too late, but even if it wasn't, it wouldn't matter!  I already told you that I'd rather face my past head on with you then avoid it all and lose you."

Seth sighed as he leaned forward for his own soft kiss before pulling back and staring at Dean quizzically, "I appreciate the sentiment babe, but what do you mean it's too late?"

Dean beamed at him, "Right after I hung up with you, Hunter called us to his office.  He spoke with Vince and the Old Man agreed that using my past in the Wyatt storyline was a great idea.  I already told you that Vinnie hates being out of control and the chance to stick it to two guys who have no respect for our business was the right kind of motivation for him.  Besides, it really does work with what they've got planned."

Seth sat up, his face brightening up a bit as he asked, "But that doesn't explain why you're here now?"

Dean grinned as he moved to sit back against the headboard, reaching out and drawing Seth back into his arms as he squeezed him tightly, "They kicked the whole thing off last night with the Wyatt's attacking us and leaving us in a wake of destruction.  We weren't needed for the house show tonight because they need us to play up being injured ahead of RAW," leaning over he grabbed his phone off of the side table and pulled up a video.  "Ro sent this to me while I was on the plane.  This aired right after the medical staff helped us out of the ring."

Seth grabbed the phone as he reclined back against Dean and pressed play, the image of Bray in some dark room backstage popping up as his haunting voice filled the room, his "brothers" pacing threateningly behind him as he grinned maniacally at the camera.

_"Isn't it strange how the world works little lamb?  They say patience is a virtue and I myself have been guilty of ignoring that in the past, but this time, this time I bided my time, waited until all the pieces were together, until Abigail said it was so.  And now, now here we are once again Dean!  You, you've risen to the top of the ladder, haven't you.  You've achieved that happy ending that you tell yourself you've wanted for so long, but are you happy little lamb, are you really?_

_See you and I Dean, we're not like everyone else, we're not a slave to the labels and the rules of this so-called society.  The darkness that lives in me, lives in you too.  Like me, you came out of that darkness, formed from a bastard father who cared more about his booze, women and crimes than he ever did about you and a whore of a mother who put her own addiction ahead of her son.  And you, you went down that same path, didn't you little lamb?  See you and I, we understand one another, we see each other for the people we really are and I, I am going to free you from the chains that bind you Dean.  I'm going to show you the way and if along the way, we have to destroy your "brother" to do that, then so be it!  Those who walk beside me, they shall be reborn. Follow the buzzards!"_

Seth jumped as a buzzing rang out and the video ended abruptly.  Turning to Dean, he was struck by the odd expression crossing his face, which Dean quickly shook away as he threw him a smile, "See, it's all good!  They can report whatever they want, it's too late."

Seth's mouth opened and closed, unsure how to respond to what he'd just seen, the whole image leaving him with a disturbed feeling that he didn't quite know how to put into words, "Are you sure that you're okay with all of this babe?" he managed to ask.

Dean shrugged, "It's not my first choice, but if I've got to put it back out there, I'd rather it be on my own terms and if it helps advance the storyline, then so be it."

Seth nodded, still not quite convinced, but deciding to table his unease for the moment, instead attempting to move things to a lighter mood, "I'm just glad you're here D," he turned around, straddling Dean as he smiled down at him.

"Me too Princess!" Dean smiled back as he pulled him down, his mouth already searching his out, their tongues quickly tangling as they reacquainted themselves with the other's taste.

Dean's hands moved up to grip Seth's hips as he ground his slowly hardening cock down against his own, "Fuck, and little Dean has definitely missed that!"

Seth's face reddened as he lost his balance, collapsing down onto Dean in a sea of giggles, "Really babe?"

Dean shrugged, grinning slyly, "What, you expected me to be more creative?  Sorry I didn't put more thought into naming my dick, but it's a extension of me right, so there you have it!"

Seth continued to giggle, his cheeks still heating up as he teasingly responded, "Well then, I guess little Seth better get back to making little Dean feel good then!" he thrust his hips down at him as he raised himself back up on his elbows, Dean's body automatically chasing him.

Before Seth knew it, he was on his back and his boxers were discarded on the floor as Dean's warm, wet mouth took him in to the hilt, making him moan, "God, you're so good at that D!"

Dean grinned around him, pulling back a bit as his tongue lapped against his balls before taking him back in.  Reaching down, Seth got a grip in Dean's hair as he pushed him back reluctantly, "Want you in me babe!"

Dean grinned, standing up and losing his own boxers before crawling back over him and gently urging him onto his stomach, "Need to taste you Princess!"

Seth murmured in agreement as Dean's mouth hovered over his ass, his hands gently working his cheeks apart. 

He gasped at the first swipe of his tongue, quickly losing himself in the familiar sensations as Dean began to eat him out for all that he was worth after having been deprived of the treat for what he saw as far too long. 

Having missed Dean's talented mouth himself, Seth found himself meeting Dean's tongue thrusts with his own, practically impaling himself on each drive as Dean eagerly took what he had to offer.

Gasping for breath, Seth managed to make himself heard, "Fuck D, I'm not going to last much longer!" Seth gently drew himself away as Dean's hands reached up and rolled him back over, depositing him on his back.

Straddling him, chest still heaving, Dean just took a moment to look at Seth in all of his natural glory, eyes staring lustfully up at him, his long brown hair strewn across the pillows, his bright red cock straining up at him, his precum dripping down the edges as he licked his lips invitingly before sitting up and lapping at the sweat moving down Dean's abs.

As his teeth caught the edge of Dean's nipples, Dean lost it, reaching down and moving him into position as he entered him with one quick push inside, Seth's warmth welcoming him home as they both moaned gleefully.

Settling into a easy rhythm, neither looking to move things along too quickly, they locked hands and let themselves just sink into the feeling of being together, their lips moving across the other's body before moving to desperately cling to one another again.

They rocked together slowly, easing in and out contentedly until they both felt themselves starting to shake, approaching the edge.  Sharing a meaningful look, they wordlessly sped up, Seth's legs wrapping around Dean's waist as he moved his angle just a bit to hit Seth's prostate straight on as they rushed towards the finish line together.

They came with a roar of the other's name, both shaking uncontrollably as they collapsed, breathing heavily as their bodies attempted to come down from the high.

Laughing, they joined hands once again, Seth pulling Dean into his arms this time, Dean tucking his head beneath his chin as he raised his other hand to tangle gently in Seth's hair.

As Seth began to stroke his back, Dean kissed across his chest, stopping above his heart as he leaned up and locked eyes with him, "Love you baby!"

"Love you too babe," Seth returned the sentiment.  "Welcome home!"

Rolling Dean over, Seth proceeded to repay the favor, showing him just how much he'd missed him while he'd been gone. 

...

As the afternoon wore on, the pair managed to get up and walk the dogs before throwing together some lunch and cuddling up on the couch, watching the new Avengers movie as they shared bites of their sandwiches and talked about anything and everything that didn't involve the mess they were facing.

They made out and played with the brats and even managed to pull out the board games that they'd missed out on the last time.

Seth found himself gloating when he came out the overall winner, making Dean stick his tongue out at him, which Seth reached out to bite, leading to another round of love making that left them spread out across the couch, snuggled up under the blanket as they took a nap.

It was just the right amount of peace that they'd both been craving for and even if it was just for a few hours, they managed to only concentrate on being together, being happy, being with their family.


	77. Chapter 77

It was dinner time when the pair woke up from their nap to pounding on their front door.  Laying a kiss to his forehead, Dean urged Seth back down, "I'll get rid of whoever it is," he promised, rising to his feet and heading to the door.

Seth rolled his eyes as the excited voices of his friends drifted in to him.  With a sigh, he rose to his feet and made his way to Dean's side, smiling when Dean immediately pulled him in to rest against his chest, "Sorry guys, I meant to text you and let you know Dean was home, but we fell asleep."

"That's okay, man, we're just glad that you're okay and it's great that Dean's here.  I take it he knows about what's been going on?" Sami rambled.

Seth nodded, "Yeah, he does, but we may have dodged a bullet because his bosses decided to use the storyline to dredge up Dean's past first last night."

"That's great!" Matt shared.  "When we saw the news this morning we were really worried about both of you."

Seth winced, "How bad?"

"TMZ's got a whole story up claiming that Dean was a drug dealer that was raised by a criminal father and a prostitute.  It just gets worse from there claiming that his relationship with ya drove him back to drugs and that he was on a drug-crazed binge the night of Patrick's death.  It infers that Dean showed up out of his mind when Patrick was at his lowest point, attempting to kill himself.  When he took a shot at Dean, ya stepped up and struggled with him and that's how the gun went off, killing him," Finn explained.

Seth felt himself getting light-headed, but Dean's solid presence kept him on his feet as he drew him back to the couch, setting down and pulling him into his lap as his friends followed, sitting down with them as they watched on sympathetically as Seth continued to cling to a clearly upset Dean.

"I'm so sorry babe," he kept whispering as Dean's hand gently began to rub his back reassuringly as Dean responded to him, "Hey, how many times do I have to tell you that none of this is your fault Princess!  We knew this was coming so we're just going to deal with it, alright?"

Seth nodded tearfully as he looked up at him, "Do you think we should give our side of things to the media or just stick with the storyline WWE is doing for you?"

Mind still a bit caught up in everything, it took a second for Dean to focus in and respond to him, "I'll give Hunter a call in a bit and see what he suggests.  We'll figure it out," he leaned down and lay a kiss on Seth's forehead as he pulled him around to sit more comfortably in his lap, Seth's head resting back against his chest as he addressed the others, "Thank you, all of your for being there for him yesterday.  Your support means everything to both of us."

Accepting the thanks humbly, the others were more concerned about Seth's state of mind, Sami beginning to babble about inconsequential things to get his friend's mind off of all the bad swirling around him at that moment.  Taking his lead, Matt and Finn chimed in and before long they were talking about some gym business. 

Seeing how tired Seth still was and confident that he was in a better state of mind, his friends eventually excused themselves, promising to meet up with the pair for dinner before Dean had to hit the road again.

The minute he let them out, Dean found himself striding over to the couch and picking up a surprised Seth, swinging him into his arms and taking him up to their room.  After depositing him onto their bed and getting him under the covers, he told him he'd be right back. 

Heading downstairs, he let the dogs out into the yard to run around in the sun for a bit before heading into the kitchen and throwing together a quick dinner, finding some noodles and some alfredo sauce as he whipped up a pasta dish.  Back upstairs, he wasn't surprised to find Seth already fast asleep. 

Hating to wake him, but knowing he'd be mad if he let their food get cold, he gently slid in next to him and whispered in his ear, "Baby, wake up and have some dinner with me and then you can go back to sleep."

Blinking up at him dazedly, Seth grinned up at him, soaking in the joy of having Dean by his side.  Yawning, he slid up to the headboard and held his hands out, "Gimme!" he demanded, making Dean laugh.

After they ate their meal, Seth started to rise, intending to do the dishes since Dean had cooked, but Dean admonished him, "Lay down!" he pointed back at the bed.  "I've got the dishes.  You need your rest and I'm going to make sure you get it!"

Seth frowned at him, "I'm not a child!  I'll sleep when I want to," he said sulkily.

Dean glared at him, "Just let me take care of you Princess!  I couldn't be here for you yesterday so let me do this, alright?"

Heart dropping at the pain in Dean's eyes, Seth acquiesced, "Alright babe, but I'm really not that tired anymore.  Can't we just watch a movie or something?"

Dean nodded, "I'll go take care of the dishes and get the brats settled.  I've got a couple of calls to make too so why don't you nap and then I promise to wake you up when I come back up?"

Nodding at the compromise, Seth snuggled back down under the covers, smirking at Dean, "Happy?" he asked teasingly.

Dean stuck his tongue out at him, "Immensely!" he winked at him as he headed out of the room, making Seth laugh.

Dean cleaned up and took the dogs for a walk before coming back and feeding them and Autumn.  He then called up Hunter, explaining the situation for him and getting his opinion on whether or not it was a good idea for them to address things in the media or not. 

After putting together a course of action, Dean made another call, this time to Roman.

 _"Hey Uce, how's it going?"_ Roman's voice instantly made him feel calmer.

 _"Alright, I'm just trying to hold it together for Seth.  He's hanging by a thread right now.  His dad and that other asshole really did a number on him yesterday.  Then this fucking article today isn't making things any better!"_ Dean roared.

 _"I saw.  How are you dealing with all of this D?"_ Roman asked.

 _"S'fine.  I just am tired of everyone hurting him Ro!"_ Dean's anguished voice made Roman wince.

 _"Hey, you're there for Seth and that's all he needs: your support.  Listen, I know you're a tough guy and everything, but I'm always here if you need to talk D.  No one is going to think any less of you if things start getting to you.  Just remember that you have people to lean on,"_ Roman tried to get through to him, knowing that his friend wasn't as cool with everything as he was making it out to be.

 _"I know Ro, thanks!  Listen, I better get back to Seth, but I'm glad I have you around to listen to me ramble,"_ Dean declared.

 _"Anytime Uce!  Say hi to Seth for me,"_ Roman stated.

 _"Will do, talk to you soon Ro,"_ Dean hung up and made his way upstairs, trying to push down the uneasy feelings that Roman had brought up in him.  He didn't have time to deal with his own issues, he needed to take care of Seth. 

Putting a smile on his face, Dean walked into the room, the forced one turning into a fond grin as he looked at a curled up Seth and Autumn.  Grabbing the remote, he slid in next to them as he kept his word and let Seth know he was back. 

Before long, the pair were cuddled up, the kitten at their feet as they fought over what movie they wanted to watch.  Eventually agreeing on a comedy, they spent the next couple of hours laughing and cuddling, pushing away all the darkness for awhile longer.

It wasn't until they'd gotten ready for bed later in the evening that they both began to sink back into fear as they contemplated the next morning's activity.  Neither of them were prepared for their first therapist visit, but neither were willing to admit that to the other.

Clinging tightly to one another once again, they both lay awake with dread believing the other was sleeping peacefully beside them.


	78. Chapter 78

Seth was the first to rise after turning off their alarm.  Sitting up, he yawned as he sat up at the end of the bed looking over at a groaning Dean.

"Is this really necessary?" Dean grumbled.

Seth glared at him, "This was your idea!"

Dean groaned again as he reluctantly sat up, "Actually it was Roman's, can we blame him?"

Seth shrugged, "Yeah, let's go with that."

Neither having gotten any solid sleep, they were slow to get going as they got up, hit the shower together and got dressed.  The fact that they strictly kept the shower to cleaning purposes was a testament to the rough night they'd had, both worrying about the day's upcoming events.

Downstairs, Dean started cooking breakfast while Seth ran the dogs out and then made sure they and Autumn were fed before joining Dean at the table where he was greeted with a omelette and toast.

The pair ate silently, both caught up in their own festering thoughts until Dean remembered that he hadn't shared his conversation with his boss from the night before.

Looking over at his fiancé, Dean broke the silence, "Hey babe, I forgot to tell you that I spoke to Hunter last night.  He and Vince were pretty happy with the response to Bray's promo and they don't seem to be too concerned about the article.  I asked him about whether we should talk to the press and he said we should so he's going to set something up for us."

Still sunk in his own dark thoughts, Seth looked up blinking in surprise before Dean's words sunk in and he responded, "Whatever we need to do to keep this from being a even bigger disaster."

Dean reached over for his hand, "No, if you're not comfortable with something then we are not going to do it.  We both have to be on board."

Seth frowned, "I'm on board with anything that is going to keep you and your job safe, period!"

Dean shook his head, "I've told you before that I won't force you into any situations no matter the circumstances.  If you're not comfortable with another public interview then we won't do it."

Seth glared at him, "And I already told you that I'm willing to push against my comfort levels when it matters.  Besides, you have no room to talk here: you refuse to admit that this whole Bray thing is making you uncomfortable!"

Dean slammed his fist down on the table as he jumped up, causing Seth to flinch, "I told you that I'm fine with it.  If it's going to be out there, I'd rather it be for our benefit.  I can handle it."

"And so can I!" Seth fired back, standing up to join him as he reached out to grab Dean's swinging arms, steadying him.

Almost instantly, Dean calmed down, his voice level dropping as he shared, "Alright, you win for now.  We'll do the interview, but if anything gets to be too much, you let me know, alright?"

Seth nodded, "Ditto then.  If you need to talk or find some of that darkness or voices cropping up, you better come talk to me!"

"I promise," Dean agreed before reaching out to wrap Seth up in a tight hug, needing that reassurance as his body and brain moved away from his fight or flight mentality.

Sighing, Seth snuggled against Dean's collarbone as he whispered, "I didn't get much sleep last night.  I'm really nervous about today."

Dean gave a choked laugh as he gave him a squeeze, "Me too Princess.  I'm sorry for taking that out on you."

"I'm sorry too, I hate fighting with you," Seth lay a kiss to his shoulder.

Leaning down, Dean repaid the favor with a light kiss to the top of his head, "I know, but at least we managed to do it without traumatizing the other one, right?  We're both here in the moment, no panic attacks!"

Seth giggled, "You're right, maybe we don't need therapy after all."

Dean laughed, "Maybe, but as much as I hate the idea, I still think we should go.  I want us to start our marriage off with a clean slate."

Seth hummed affirmatively as he reached up and pulled Dean down for a gentle kiss, which helped center them both.

Sighing, Dean pulled away, "Guess we should get this show on the road!"

The pair reluctantly got what they needed together before heading out to the car where Seth slid into the driver's seat since he already knew how to get to the therapist's office.

...

Pulling up and parking, the pair met outside the car, instantly gripping onto one another's hand for support as they nervously headed inside.  

Things only got worse as they were greeted by the receptionist and sat down.  The sterile white walls and the eyes of the other people in the lobby increasing Seth's self consciousness and Dean's anxiety.

By the time their names were called, they were both completely lost in their heads, not responding until the receptionist asked for them for the third time.

Jumping, Seth stood up, reaching over and pulling Dean up with him, their hands clasped tightly together.

They headed down the hall to the office they'd been directed to and after a deep breath, Seth gently knocked, heading in when the cheerful voice invited them in.

The auburn-haired female behind the desk rose to her feet when they entered.  Holding out her hand, she introduced herself as Angela Sharpton, "Feel free to call me Angela though.  We are pretty informal here," she shared as she gestured for them to find seats.

Sharing a look, the pair moved the chairs a bit closer together so they could continue to hold hands.  Turning, they focused back on the therapist.

"So, why don't you introduces yourselves and let me know why you feel you need to be here today," she prompted.

Dean squeezed Seth's hand as he took the initiative to begin, "Dean Ambrose. My friend suggested we do this.  He and his wife had some issues and they went to counseling for a bit.  They were really happy with the results and he thought it might be a good thing for us."  


Nodding, she asked, "What do you hope to accomplish here?"

Uncomfortable, Dean shifted in his seat, Seth's hand keeping him from the twitching he'd usually be doing at that point, "I think we both have some deep issues that make it hard for us to open up sometimes.  I'd like to see that become easier I guess.  I really just want us to feel solid going into our marriage."

With a smile, she then turned to Seth, "And you?"

Taking a deep breath, Seth shared, "My name is Seth Rollins.  I want the same things.  I don't want all of the outside stuff and our pasts to hinder anything we're trying to build in the present."

With another nod, Angela sat back as she took a moment to gather her thoughts, "The fact that you are both here willingly and are ready to work on your issues already puts you ahead of the game.  I can see by your body language that neither of you are particularly comfortable with all of this so I think that will be the first thing we work on in our upcoming sessions.  I want you to view this as a safe place for you to open up and share and I hope that at the end of all of this that you'll feel it was worthwhile and genuinely helped you get to where you want to be."

The two men smiled back at her, but it was obvious that they weren't completely buying into what she had to say.  Clearly, she was going to have a bit of work ahead of her.

"Now," she continued.  "I won't keep you here too long today, but I would like to try one exercise with you that I like to start all of my couples out with.  You've told me a bit about why you are here, but I don't know much about your relationship yet.  I like to have my couples describe what their partner gives to them in 4 words and then to share 4 things that bother them or get on their nerves.  In your case, it may be 4 things that affect your line of communication."

Sharing a look, the pair sat there silently, neither wanting to go first.  Finally, the therapist jumped in, "Dean, why don't you tell me what it is that Seth gives to you in this relationship that you find special."

Frowning, Dean mumbled back at her, but she quickly asked him to speak up, making him send a glare her way, but a squeeze from Seth's hand made him focus in on his partner and in spite of himself, he found the answer right there, "Fine, what does Seth give me?  In a word: everything.  If I have to narrow it to four things, then I guess I'd say his unconditional love, his trust, his laughter, his undying support and a family."

Seth blushed at his words, a shy grin popping up as he leaned over to give Dean a kiss, "I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too Princess," Dean returned as they turned back to Angela.

Holding back a grin, she prompted Dean, "And four things that irritate you in some way?"

Dean frowned, "I'm not doing that."

Sighing, she sat forward again, "I understand your hesitance, but this is the heart of why you are here.  There are some things that are hindering your relationship and sometimes we just need to say them out loud in order to start fixing them.  This is not a personal attack on either of you, but rather a way to bring into view the areas that we need to work on here."

"It's okay D, you can answer her," Seth's gentle voice washed over him, making Dean wince again before nodding reluctantly, "Alright, I hate that the previous partners in Seth's life made him feel less than nothing.  I hate that he always feels like he has to reciprocate when I do something for him, rather than just taking it as a gesture of just how much I love him.  I hate that my own temper and insecurities make him hesitate to share bad news or ask me for help sometimes and I hate that despite how much I try to reassure him, he still thinks the other shoe is going to drop someday and I'm going to leave him or turn into his psychotic ex."

Seth gasped at his last words, "I don't think you could ever be like Patrick D!  I trust in us and our love!"

Dean shook his head, "This is why I didn't want to do this!  I know you love me and that you trust in my love for you, but I also know that you have your moments of doubt."

"The reason we are doing this is so we can figure these things out and hopefully find a way to banish them.  Seth, you may not agree with Dean's fears, but they are his and you need to accept them the way he will have to accept yours," Angela interjected.

Seth acquiesced, sitting back sulkily as she nodded at him, "You can go now.  What are four things that Dean gives to you?"

Still a bit upset, Seth turned towards Dean, making him frown as he saw the tears shining in his eyes.  Realizing that he was hurting Dean, Seth quickly began to talk, "Dean gives me his fierce protectiveness, his undying love, his boundless humor and the family I've always wanted," he was happy when Dean smiled at him.

"Alright, it seems like you are both on the same page in a lot of ways when it comes to what makes your relationship work.  Now Seth, can you share those things that bother you?" Angela asked.

Nodding reluctantly, Seth whispered, "I hate that Dean underestimates himself.  I hate that he feels he has to protect me at all costs even when he hurts himself to do it.  I hate that his past constantly makes him feel that he has to fight his way out of certain situations and I hate that he still expects to do something that will drive me away permanently."

"S'all I ever seem to do, so why would this be any different?" Dean muttered quietly, making Seth turn stricken eyes towards him, "No babe!" he said squeezing Dean's hand.  "You're not responsible for other people's actions!"

Dean sighed, "I've done a lot of things that helped force them away though.  I just don't want to ever be the reason you walk away."

"Never!" Seth swore emphatically.

As they embraced, their therapist watched with a eagle eye, cataloguing everything she'd heard and seen during their session.  She wasn't expecting to get to the heart of things so quickly, but she already felt like she had a handle on their biggest issues and she was ready to start figuring things out.

"Thank you gentlemen for sharing as much as you have.  It usually takes a lot longer than this to open up to one another as you've done.  It's clear that you have a strong connection and the love between you positively shines.  You have some deep-seated issues that need to be addressed, but I don't think you need to worry about things not working out here.  It's clear that you are open and willing to work at this and that's all you need to do," Angela pronounced.

Pulling apart and nodding politely, the pair thanked her and made their exit, Dean practically dragging Seth out to the car.  As soon as they were settled in and pulling out, they both gave a sigh of relief before catching one another's eyes and bursting into laughter.

"I love you Princess!" Dean declared with a grin, earning him a response in kind from his fiancé.  

As Seth headed out onto the freeway, he suddenly turned and smiled at Dean as he asked, "What do you think about a date night?"

Dean winked at him, "I'd say we deserve it after the last few days!"

Seth nodded as he switched lanes, "Right!  How about we go home and grab some lunch and then we can take a nap.  Then we can get up and take the dogs to the park for a bit and then get ready to go out."

"Sounds like a plan," Dean agreed.  "I take it you already have a plan for tonight?"

Seth grinned slyly, "Yep and that's all I'm going to say about that!"

Dean peered suspiciously at him, "Should I be afraid?"

Seth just continued to grin evilly at him, "Maybe, maybe not!"

Dean reached over and poked his side, "Not funny Princess!"

Seth just giggled as he pulled into their driveway, "Yeah, I am!" he declared, before getting out of the car, waiting until Dean got out to lock it and then taking off at a quick speed, leaving his lover behind in disbelief.

Shaking his head, Dean took off after him as Seth unlocked the door and took off at another run, making Dean pick up speed, pausing to shut the door behind them before resuming the chase, finally catching Seth at the top of the stairs where the dogs were gathered barking at them in excitement.  

Pinning Seth against the wall, Dean began to tickle him, his screeches echoing throughout the house.  Breaking away, Seth took off again, attempting to shut the bedroom door behind him, but Dean lodged his foot in and easily pushed it open.  He grabbed Seth and threw him over his shoulder, throwing him onto the bed.

Looking down at him, Dean grinned before pouncing, cutting off Seth's protests with a passionate kiss that left them both speechless and aching for more.  

Sitting up, Dean tossed his clothes in every direction before grabbing Seth up and doing the same to his, making him giggle.  

Quirking a eyebrow at him, Dean slid back onto the bed and arranged himself so he was facing Seth's feet.  Getting the idea, Seth nodded happily as they moved into position, slowly stroking the other's cock into full awareness before plunging down with their wet, warm mouths.

Over the next few minutes, they pulled out every trick they knew to try to get the other to shoot off first, but they were both determined to last and they eventually settled into a steady rhythm, content to let their climaxes build up.

Finally, they couldn't hold off any longer and as Dean's teeth grazed Seth's tip, Seth exploded, his cum splattering across Dean's face as he tried to take down as much as he could.

Feeling Dean trembling inside of him, Seth let his tongue caress him as he let his cock slide deeper into his throat, causing Dean to release, flooding Seth's throat as Seth easily took everything he had to give.

With a contented sigh, they pulled apart, snuggling up against each other as Seth slid into Dean's arms.  As their breathing stabilized, Seth began to drift off, Dean not far behind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	79. Chapter 79

After their nap, Seth got Dean up and dressed, digging through their closet to find a tight pair of black jeans and a nice blue t-shirt that brought out his eyes and showcased his fierce muscles.

Dean stared as Seth grabbed a chocolate tee of his own, similar to the one he'd worn on their first date and a pair of his own tight black jeans, "Are you going to tell me where we're going yet and why we're getting all dressy?"

"Nope," Seth answered as he stripped down and turned away from him, leaning over to grab a belt out as well.  He jumped as Dean plastered himself to his back.

Turning around, Seth pulled him into his arms as he kissed him before pulling back and smirking at him, "You can try to seduce it out of me all you want, but I'm not telling.  We're going and you'll find out when we get there!"

Dean groaned as he moved away from him, heading towards the bathroom, "I'm really not going to like this, am I?" he shook his head as he disappeared behind the door as Seth's laughter rang out behind him.

By the time Dean came out, Seth was already dressed and Dean paused in the doorway to admire the view before he grabbed the clothes Seth had laid out for him and proceeded to throw them on, protesting when Seth moved behind him and began fussing with his hair, trying to straighten up his curls.

"You can dress me all you want Princess, but I draw the line at my hair!" he glared at him in the mirror, making Seth giggle as he held up his hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, stepping away from the hair!" he quipped, making Dean glare at him again.

Ready, the pair headed out, Seth driving the short distance it took to get to the destination he had in mind.  As they pulled up in front of the building, Dean stared at the line of people outside in disbelief.  Turning towards Seth, he wryly asked, "A club, you brought me to a club?"

Seth nodded, "Yes, you once asked me what else there was to do in Davenport and we've hit a bunch of the places, but we have yet to do any of these so I figured it was time to see the nightlife."

Dean frowned, "Clubs are not really my thing," he said eyeing the place again.

Seth shrugged, "Me either, but it'll be fun to try something different and I already know I love dancing with you."

Dean nodded, "True, but there's a big difference between slow dancing by ourselves and bouncing in a crowd of people with all that noise around us."

Seth laughed, "If we hate it we can leave, but at least we'll know.  Can't knock it until you've tried it, right?"

Dean rolled his eyes at him, but moved to get out of the car, heading around to meet Seth at his door as he grabbed his hand and they walked to get in line.  His anxiety grew as he saw a few people in the line checking them out as they gestured excitedly to the people with them. 

He wasn't really looking forward to having to play host to his fans all evening, but he couldn't find it in him to say no to Seth.  He hardly ever asked him for anything and there was no way in hell he was going to disappoint him so he'd grin and bear it until they could leave and go do something they'd both enjoy.

Seth had also seen the buzz moving through the crowd and he winced as he realized he may have led Dean right into a swarm of wrestling fans.  Debating whether they should stay or go, Dean interrupted his thoughts, "Hey, it's cool.  I'll sign a few autographs and take a few pics and then we can go get one of those private rooms if we need to.  You wanted to do this and that's what we're going to do!" he stated emphatically.

Seth leaned over, kissing his cheek, "Thanks babe, but if it gets out of hand, we're leaving!  This is supposed to be a date, not a distraction."

Dean nodded gratefully, "I can work with that," he agreed.

Before long, they were up at the front of the line, the bouncer waving them through quickly.  Stepping inside, Dean groaned as the pounding bass and swirling lights assaulted his senses, making Seth giggle at him.  Dean poked him as Seth pulled him further inside, making their way through the throng of bodies to the bar, where Seth ordered them a couple of shots to take the edge off.

"Cheers!" he said with a wink as he handed Dean his and they raised them to their mouths, downing them in one gulp.

Shaking his head, Dean shrugged, "Well if we're going to do this, let's do this!" he pulled him out to the middle of the floor where they began to jump along with the others around them, finding that a few songs in they began to loosen up a bit and let the beat of the music roll through them, making them laugh at one another and just enjoy the moment.

When the music slowed a bit, Dean easily pulled Seth back against him, whispering in his ear as he ground against his back, "I guess this isn't as bad as I thought it would be."

Seth grinned up at him, "Kind of fun actually!" he confirmed.  "I'm not saying I want to be out here every night, but you know, I could do it again."

Dean laughed as he nuzzled against his throat as Seth wound his arms up around his neck, pulling Dean up for a kiss before turning in his arms and moving slowly against him.  Caught up in one another, they were unprepared for the rude interruption as a group of people crowded around them, chattering enthusiastically.

Seth was shoved to the side as they urged Dean for autographs and photos and begged him to tell them some behind the scenes wrestling stories. 

Shaking his head, Seth went back to the bar, ordering them a couple of drinks before returning and forcing his way back to Dean's side as he handed him one of them. 

Instantly, Dean's arms opened up for him as he apologized to his new "friends", "Thanks for coming to say hi, but I'm kind of on a date here and I'd like to get back to it if you don't mind."

Seth grinned as the girls swooned at them, telling them how cute they were together and what a inspiration they were and the guys patted Dean on the back as they said goodbye and moved away, but they froze when one of their buddies who had been imbibing a bit much already protested, "You haven't signed everything yet and you owe the rest of us a pic!" he said angrily.

Dean's eyes flashed as he spit back, "I don't owe you anything.  I didn't have to stop my evening to chat with you, but I did because I enjoy meeting my fans and I appreciate your support, but you need to have a little respect for me as well.  I have a normal life outside of the ring and I enjoy relaxing just as much as you do!"

The guy scoffed at him, "Yeah, I know all about your normal life!  A guy like you should be grateful for any positive attention he can get!"

"A guy like me?" Dean growled, making Seth lay a arm on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

The guy glared back at him, "Yeah, a reformed drug addict with a whore mother and a convict father.  How dare you look down on the rest of us!"

Suddenly, the guy's friends were crowding around him, pulling him away as they apologized for him and made him leave.

Stunned, Dean stood there for a moment before pushing away from Seth and hurrying towards the door.

Shocked, it took a second for Seth to respond.  By the time he began to move, Dean was already in the parking lot.  

Seth quickly met up with him at the car, sliding into the driver's seat and waiting for Dean to settle in before pulling out.

The drive home was silent as Seth struggled to figure out how to fix this.

As soon as they pulled in, Dean was out of the car and in the house. 

As Seth followed behind, he froze when Dean turned towards him, "I need a little time.  I'm going to go to the guest room for a bit."

He took off before Seth could even protest.  Slumping on the couch, Seth tried to come up with a plan of action.

As the dogs whined at him, he grabbed their leashes and set off on a walk.  By the time they made their way back, he'd made a decision.

Letting the dogs run around out back, Seth settled on the back porch as he called Roman.

Hearing the man's soothing voice helped calm his nerves a bit.  If anyone could help, it was him.  

 _"Hey Uce, sorry for calling so late, but I need some advice on Dean and you're the expert."_ he explained.

Sighing, Roman responded,  _"Is he holed off by himself somewhere?"_

Seth jaw went slack at how quickly Roman read the situation.  Maybe he had made the best decision. 

Settling back, he told him everything that had happened that day.

Taking it in for a moment, Roman then began to talk,  _"Sounds to me like this guy just triggered Dean's already uncertain feelings on the subject.  He can say he's fine with the Wyatt storyline all he wants, but he's clearly uncomfortable with it."_

 _"I know,"_ Seth said miserably.   _"This is all my fault!"_

 _"It's not your fault that your father and his friend are assholes any more than it was your fault that Patrick was a raging psycho!  You are not to blame for other's people actions!  Do you think Dean's to blame for the way his parents turned out?"_ Roman asked.

 _"No!"_ Seth exclaimed.

 _"Exactly!"_ Roman made his case.

Sighing, Seth asked,  _"How do you get through to him?"_

 _"You've got to get in his face.  Prove you're not going anywhere and that he's worthy of your love.  Sometimes he just needs to be knocked upside the head with it!  Trust me, its how I've managed to stay by his side for this long,"_ Roman explained.

 _"Alright, I'll try it,"_ Seth shared.  " _Thanks man, I needed to talk to someone who gets him."_

 _"Anytime Uce!  Go take care of our boy.  Let me know how it goes,"_ Roman urged.

Seth agreed as he let him go, taking a moment to compose himself before calling in the dogs.

He fed them and then went and found Autumn curled up on their bed and fed her as well.

Steeling himself, he squared his shoulders and knocked on the guest room door.

Dean yelled at him to please go away, but Seth wasn't having it.  Reaching down for all the courage he could find, he took out the key and opened the door.

Standing in front of his fuming fiancé, he took a deep breath and began, "I'm not going anywhere!  It's time for you to sit down, shut up and listen!"

 


	80. Chapter 80

"It's time for you to sit down, shut up and listen!" Seth shouted, making Dean stare up at him in disbelief, a hint of lust passing over his face before he glared back up at him.

"I asked you to leave me alone!" Dean yelled back.

Seth shook his head as he began to pace in front of him, "That's not going to happen!  You're not alone D, you never will be again!  You've got me and Roman and his family and our friends.  We're all here to listen and help in any way we can.  You can tell me anything babe, you know that right?" he turned back towards him, pleased to see that he seemed to be listening intently.

"I know that Princess, but you shouldn't have to listen to my sordid past!  It's dead and buried and I don't want it tainting what we have now!" Dean fired back.

Seth sighed, "It could never do that!  I don't give a fuck about your past Dean outside of how it still hurts you.  I hate that dragging all of this up is making you think less of yourself and all that you've accomplished.  You crawled your way out of there D and you didn't look back!  You're the strongest person I know and it doesn't matter who you were then, all that matters is who you are now and that's the man I love, the one who loves me back in equal measure.  The man who always puts me and my happiness ahead of his own!"

"You are my happiness Seth!" Dean stood up and began to pace himself, pulling gently on his own hair as he nervously twitched, trying to get his chaotic thoughts to settle down. 

Sensing that he was breaking through, Seth moved to him, plastering himself against his back as he slid his arms around his waist, "I love you Dean.  I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.  I need you to talk to me; need you to let me in."

"Please just leave me alone!" Dean pleaded, his voice wrecked as he struggled to get away from him.

Fed up, Seth whirled him around, "No!" he roared.  "Talk to me!" he gave his shoulders a shake as he watched Dean's eyes widen once again.  Before he knew what was happening, Dean's arms were lifting him up carrying him forward until they hit the wall as Dean's lips crashed against his own.

Relieved, Seth just held on and let Dean lead them where he needed to go, Dean's lips attaching to his throat as his teeth sunk in, making Seth groan in pain, but Dean's tongue lapping up the blood made it turn into a moan as he unconsciously pressed himself closer.

With a groan of his own, Dean was suddenly tearing at his clothes, items flying everywhere as he leaned back to rip his own off, pushing Seth further up the wall as he pushed inside of him with no prep and not enough pre-cum to ease him inside, making Seth scream.

So far gone in his own head, Dean wasn't thinking, just beginning to thrust in and out as Seth struggled to adjust, eventually feeling the pain ease as he began to meet Dean's thrusts in kind, pulling him in as he pulled him up for a kiss, leaving his own mark on the side of Dean's throat.  They quickly rushed to their climaxes, roaring like wild animals as they slumped to the floor.

As Dean's head settled into his collar bone, Seth wound his hand into his curls, gently stroking him.  They sat there for awhile, still joined as one as they let themselves come back to awareness. 

Eventually Dean slowly drew out, eyes widening as Seth jerked a bit, making Dean look down as he saw the blood coating his now limp cock.  Stung, Dean jumped up, backing away fearfully as he shook his head, "No, no, no!" he whimpered.

Jumping up with his hands held out towards him, Seth tried to put a stop to his darkening thoughts, "D, it's fine, just a little blood.  We should have given it a minute, but it's fine babe, I'm fine!"

Dean shook his head, "You're not fine!" his voice shook.  "I hurt you!  I'm no better than that asshole!  I said I'd never hurt you and here I am forcing myself on you!"

"No!" Seth shouted.  "I wanted you D, just as much as you wanted me.  You didn't force anything.  If I'd wanted to I could have asked you to stop and you would have.  I know that for a fact babe!" he tried to get him to listen, but Dean was too far gone as the voices in his head overpowered everything else.

Seth reached out to grab Dean's hands and pull them away from the ears he was now covering, but the second he touched them, Dean was spinning on him, his fist raised, ready to punch him.

Instantly, Seth flinched backwards until he met the wall, covering his face instinctively.  As lost as he was, the action got through to Dean, making him freeze as he stared at his fiancé cowering away from him.

Dean let out a pitiful whine as he mumbled, "M'sorry, so sorry!  I promise, m'leaving now.  You won't have to deal with me anymore!"

Looking up in shock, Seth shook his head, "No D, I don't want you to leave.  I want you to stay here so we can talk!" Seth tried to moved towards him again, but Dean was running from him, taking off down the stairs and out of the house. 

Seth stood on the porch helplessly as he watched Dean drive away in their car.  Moving back into the house, he slumped down against the door, the tears he'd been holding in exploding out of him as he wondered how they were going to fix this.

...

Finn frowned as the frantic banging rang out at his front door.  Sami had gone away for a few days to travel with Kevin and he had the place to himself. 

He'd gone out for dinner with some friends earlier in the evening and talked to Bayley for a bit before settling in to catch up on his favorite tv show.  Afterwards, he'd decided to call it a early evening and headed up to bed, where he'd been engrossed in the sci-fi novel he'd recently picked up.

Shaking his head, he got up and headed to the front door, ready to unleash on whoever was disturbing his peace.  Looking through the keyhole, he was surprised to find a wild-looking Dean pacing out front, mumbling to himself as his hand curled around the back of his neck.

Throwing it open, he greeted him, "Dean, why tha fuck are ya on my porch at this time of night?"

Turning towards him, Dean didn't answer, just wordlessly dropped a set of keys in Finn's hands before stating, "Seth needs you.  Take his car back to him and tell him no matter what I will always love him.  Blue is his now, our boy deserves a real family, not what I can give him."

Before Finn could form a coherent response, Dean was heading down the stairs and jumping into a cab that was waiting at the end of the drive.

Stunned, Finn turned around and rushed to throw on some clothes before jumping in Seth's car and heading to his house.  At the door, he banged quietly, but when he got no response, he let himself in with the set of keys Dean had thrust at him.

After locking up behind him, he headed through the dark house and up the stairs, pausing in the doorway of Seth and Dean's bedroom where he found Seth curled up on the bed, the dogs and Autumn on either side of him. 

He was a sobbing mess and by the looks of his face had been crying for a long time.

With a sigh, Finn kicked off his shoes and headed in, gently setting Autumn to the other side near the dogs before pulling his friend back into his arms, "Hey Seth, you're not alone alright!  I'm here for whatever ya need.  It's going to be okay."

"N-n-no it's n-n-not!" he gasped.  "He's gone Finn, he's gone!" Seth began to cry again.

Rubbing his back, Finn nodded, "I know.  He came to ma house and dropped off your car.  He told me that ya needed me and that he loved you and that he was leaving Blue with ya because ya could give him the family Dean couldn't.  What the hell happened here tonight?"

Seth let out a wail, "He thinks he h-h-hurt me!  Thinks he's no better than P-P-Patrick!"

Finn pulled away from him with a frown, his voice growing serious, "Did he hurt ya?"

Seth shook his head, "Not like that!  He was a little rough, but I was right there with him urging him on.  There was, you know, a little blood afterwards and he flipped.  He was caught up in his head and I tried to reach out to him and he swung at me.  I instinctively jumped back from him and he took it as me being afraid of him and that's when he took off."

Finn grabbed onto Seth's shoulders as he stared at him intensely, "Seth, I need ya ta be completely honest with me here.  If he's been hurting ya..."

"NO!" Seth cut him off emphatically.  "Dean would never hurt me, not willingly anyways.  Him walking away from me hurts like hell and him thinking that he could ever do the things that Patrick did to me make me sick to my stomach, but that's not Dean, that's the demons that eat away at his mind telling him to push away the good.  When Dean gets overwhelmed, he pushes everybody away.  He doesn't think he deserves good things and unfortunately, the people in his past have just reinforced that belief over and over.  Roman and his family are the only ones who have always stuck around.  It's why they mean so much to him," Seth's eyes widened as something occurred to him.  Setting up, he grinned at Finn, "I know where he is.  He went to Roman!"

Finn nodded, "Makes sense.  He sees Roman as his safe place.  Right now I'm going ta believe ya about this, but if I see one sign that Dean has ever raised his hand to ya, I'll kill him myself.  Sami, Matt and I aren't going to sit back and let that ever happen to ya again!  Understand?" he asked.

Seth grinned at him, leaning forward to hug him, "Understood!  I love you man, all of you and I just want you to know how much I appreciate all of you and how you've rallied around me so many time over the years.  I never would have gotten through this without your support and I hate to say it, but I'm gonna need your help through this too.  Dean needs more than just me and Roman telling him that he's not the monster that he thinks he is.  Will you come with me and talk to him?  I think if he hears it from someone he sees as my protector, he'll be more inclined to listen."

Finn shrugged, "If ya think that'll work.  I've seen Dean with ya, been watching.  He goes out of his way ta protect ya at all costs and that's why I believe ya when ya say that he didn't hurt ya.  Knowing that, I'm sure he's really hurting right now and if there's anything I can do ta help, I will."

Finn found himself with another armful of his friend as Seth kissed his cheek and hopped up, throwing on clothes as he asked Finn to get the dogs and their stuff together while he grabbed up Autumn and her stuff.

Finn headed downstairs to do that, hoping desperately that Seth was right and all this was going to take was a little talking to get through to Dean.  He hated to see Seth's world fall apart around him once again.

...

It was early morning when Roman was woken up by his own set of loud knocks, groaning as he told Galina to go back to sleep as he headed down the stairs.  Looking outside, he rolled his eyes as he watched Dean pace wildly.

Swinging the door open, he shook his head at him, "What the hell did you do now Uce?"

Twenty minutes later, he found himself sitting at his kitchen counter sitting down steaming cups of coffee in front of both of them as he listened to Dean berate himself for ruining the best thing that had ever happened to him.

"Was Seth struggling to get away from you Uce?  Was he crying, lost in flashbacks of his time with Patrick?  Did he ever use the word no?" Roman struggled to figure out just what had happened to send Dean spiraling as far as he had.  Something told him that the situation wasn't as cut and dry as Dean was making it out to be.  He knew that when Dean got lost inside of his head, his perspective was skewed towards self-hatred and self-recrimination.

Dean shook his head, "No, but I didn't really give him a chance to either.  I hurt him Uce, bad!  He's never going to want me back and why should he?  All I ever do is ruin everything I touch, why should this be any different?

Roman shook his head, "Stop it D!  We've gone over this before.  Your childhood wasn't your fault. Your parent's mistakes were their own and the mistakes you made were because of what they did to you.  Yeah, you pushed away some good people in your life, but you managed to break that pattern with Seth, right?  You need to talk to him Uce, figure out what really happened."

Dean jumped up, banging his fist into the counter as he began to pace again, "I told you what happened: I raped him and then I almost beat him!"

Roman shook his head, standing up and grabbing Dean's hands, forcing him to look up at him, "No Uce, you told me that Seth confronted you on your shit and that anger and frustration turned into lust.  You said Seth was giving back as good as he was getting, that black and blue mark on your neck proves that!  Yeah, you got a little rough, but never once did Seth ask you to stop or say no.  You even said that he was pleading with you afterwards!"

Dean shook his head, beginning to sob as he gasped, "He thinks he deserves that type of treatment!  Fuck, he made excuses for Patrick over and over again!  What makes you think he wouldn't do the same for me?"

Roman sighed, "Because he's stronger now than he was then.  You've helped him get stronger D.  If he really thought you were going to hit him or hurt him, I truly believe that he would have thrown you out himself.  He would have fought back.  Remember when he bit Patrick?"

Dean smiled at the memory, "Yeah," he sighed, but then shook himself, steeling his shoulders again as he continued to deny that Seth wasn't in danger from him.  "I have to protect him, even if that means from myself!"

Roman let go of him, moving to sit back down as he ran his hands over his face in exasperation, "The only thing you're doing is hurting him D!  You told him that you would always be there for him; always fight beside him.  You swore you wouldn't let your demons win this time, but here we are Uce!  You're hurting yourself and him and if you don't stop, you're going to lose everything that you've worked for.  Are you really going to give up the life that you've built together that easily?"

Dean slumped down onto the floor as his shoulders began to shake.  With a sigh, Roman went and sat next to him, pulling him into his arms as he let his friend get out all of the hurt and pain and confusion that he was holding onto.  Maybe afterwards, he could try to get through to him again.

...

Although it would have been easier to just fly to Roman's, traveling with all three animals would have been too much of a hassle so they set out in Seth's car, Autumn whining the first part of the trip as she got used to the car. 

By the time they pulled off for lunch and to switch so Finn could drive, she'd settled in between the dogs on the back seat, Seth grinning as they moved closer to her in a protective manner.  Thinking to himself, he snapped a picture, texting it to Dean's phone.

_I'm not going to let you give this up!  This is OUR family and we're not letting you go!_

Most of the trip was silent as Seth tried to figure out what he could say to reach Dean.  He'd texted Roman earlier and been reassured that Dean was there and safe.  Roman told him that he'd tried to get through to him, but Dean refused to listen. 

He'd shared that after breaking down, he'd forced Dean into the shower and then into bed, where he'd been passed out for hours. 

Seth hoped that the rest would help put him in a calmer, more rational mood.  He didn't know what was ahead for them, but he knew that he wasn't leaving there without Dean.

 

 


	81. Chapter 81

Roman filled his daughter's cereal bowl as he and his wife chatted as they washed up their own breakfast dishes. 

Turning towards him, Galina asked, "Do you think we should wake Dean up and get some food into him?"

"No, let him rest.  I'm hoping the more relaxed he is when he gets up that I'll be able to get through to him before Seth and Finn get here," Roman answered, both of them forgetting that young ears were listening intently.

"Uncle Dean's here?!" Jo Jo exclaimed.

Sighing, they shared a look before Roman turned towards his daughter, "Yeah sweetheart.  Uncle Dean wasn't feeling too well so he's upstairs resting."

"Did he have a fight with Uncle Seth?" she asked.

Surprised, her mother took the lead on this one, "He did and just needed a time out so he came here."

Jo Jo nodded, "I'm going to go talk to him!" she bounded up and took off for the stairs.

Before Galina could stop her, Roman was grabbing her shoulder, "Let her," he shrugged.  "Maybe she can get through in a way we can't.  If nothing else, he will have to let her talk.  You know how big his soft spot for her is."

Looking back up the stairs, Roman pulled her into his arms as they both hoped for the best.

...

Dean woke up with a moan.  His head was killing him and it took him a minute to realize where he was.

As he did, he sat up and moaned again as the previous night's events hit him all at once.

Before he could slide back into the darkness of his mind, his thoughts were interrupted by the bedroom door banging open as his niece flung herself on the bed.

"Time to wake up Uncle Dean!" she squealed at him.  "You need to eat and then you need to make up with Uncle Seth.  Mommy says you're never supposed to go to bed angry!"

Dean's eyes widened at her words.  What the fuck had Roman told her?

"Morning sweetheart," he lay a kiss on her forehead.  "Thanks for the advice, but I did something really bad and I don't think he can forgive me.  I don't deserve it."

She shook her head, giving him a hug, "There is always room for forgiveness.  Mommy says God gave us all big hearts for that purpose."

Dean smiled at her, "That's a great way of looking at it."

He let himself be dragged downstairs where Galina gave him a plate of eggs and bacon. 

He forced himself to eat as Jo Jo rambled on about the birthday party her mom was taking her to before Galina grabbed her up and they took off for Jo Jo's friend's house.

Watching Dean's interactions with his daughter made Roman smile.  Maybe she really was just the medicine that his friend needed to come back to himself.

He grinned at him as Dean rose and took his dishes over to the sink, quickly washing them before turning around and catching Roman's gaze, "What?" he asked defensively.

Roman just shrugged, "Just good to see you a little more aware this morning.  Do you think we can have a rational conversation now?"

Dean shrugged, "Do I have a choice?  You'll just bug me until I listen anyways."

Roman nodded, "Believe that," he shared with a smirk.

Throwing himself back into the chair, Dean looked at him expectantly.

Taking a moment to figure out what he wanted to say, Roman then began, "You need to go home and work things out with Seth.  He's worried about you."

Dean's eyes rose at his words, "You talked to him?"

Roman nodded, "He knew you'd come here.  He wanted to know you were safe."

Dean frowned, "You didn't tell him I was here did you?"

"I didn't need to Uce.  Seth knows you and he knows this is where you'd come first," Roman explained.  "I told him you were here and safe."

Jumping up, Dean began to pace, one hand gripping onto his hair as the other rubbed the back of his neck anxiously, "Fuck, I need to get out of here!"

Before he could run away, Roman was grabbing him around the waist and forcibly making him sit back down in the chair, "Stop!  You're not going anywhere.  You and Seth need to talk and that's what you're going to do if I have to lock you in a room myself!"

Shaking his head, Roman watched as Dean's face changed, the torment and anguish from the previous evening back as he once again insisted that he'd done the unthinkable to Seth and didn't deserve to be in the same room with him.  It was when Dean started rambling about turning himself into the cops that he moved to once again try to get through to him.

"You didn't rape him Dean!  Your mind is playing tricks on you Uce and you need to stop it now!  Seth told me exactly what happened and yeah, you were a little rough with him, but he was expecting that, wanted it even.  You did nothing wrong Uce!" Roman stated.

"How can you say that?!" Dean exploded, his hands reaching under the table and toppling it as he flew to his feet once again, backing away from his friend.  "I forced myself on him and I tried to hit him, do you really think there's anything right about that?  Do you really think I deserve any type of forgiveness?  You should have thrown me out the second I told you what I did!  Let me save you the trouble though: I'm leaving and I'm not coming back!  You're going to need to find another tag team partner, I can't be that person anymore.  Thank you Ro, for everything you've ever done for me and for always being here.  I'm sorry I wasn't the person you thought I was.  I belong in the gutter where I came from."

"No you don't D, you belong with me!" Seth's voice rang out from the doorway, where he'd been standing listen to the exchange silently as he watched Dean fall apart once again.  Galina had seen them pull up as she was walking out and had left the door open for him.

Dean's shoulders slumped as he completely lost it, collapsing to the floor as his shoulders heaved as he sobbed, mumbling to himself as he scratched at his face and began to pound at his ears. 

Instantly, Seth and Roman were at his sides, pulling his hands away from himself as they restrained him and got him to his feet.  Sharing a look, they led him to the living room where Finn was waiting. 

Together, the trio got him settled on the couch as Roman covered him up with a blanket and went to get him some water, Finn following behind him as they left the pair alone.

Tears pouring down his own face, Seth tried to gain Dean's attention, but he was staring blankly ahead, caught up in whatever horror his mind was currently showing him. 

Moving to sit on the floor in front of him, Seth curled his legs up underneath him as he grabbed Dean's hands in his own and lay his head in his lap, "Please come back to me D!  I can't do this without you.  I'm lost here and I don't know what to do to help you."

The second his head touched down, Dean was scrambling back away from him, screaming at him, "No, stay away from me!  Why are you here?  You need to run!"

Seth whimpered as he reached out towards him again, "Never!"

Dean's screams brought Roman and Finn running back into the room and as they observed the scene of Seth sobbing on the floor and Dean curled up defensively in the corner of the couch, they moved into action, Finn grabbing Seth up and placing him in the arm chair while Roman moved to reassure Dean.

"Uce, you're safe and Seth's safe, alright?" Roman was relieved to see Dean focusing on him, but he frowned as Dean pushed away the arm he'd moved to embrace him with.

Sighing, Roman got Dean to agree to head back up to the guest room with him, throwing Seth a pleading look to stay back.  The second they disappeared, Seth was up and pacing as he continued to cry, "He's terrified of me!"

Finn sighed, "He can't think or see straight right now and he thinks that he could hurt ya again.  We know that's not going ta happen, but he doesn't.  He's doing his best ta protect ya tha way he always does, but this time he thinks he's the threat."

"He didn't hurt me!" Seth snapped.

"We know that Seth, but Dean doesn't.  We just need to figure out a way ta get him ta see reality," Finn stated.  "Let Roman see what he can do while we go wake Autumn up and let tha boys out of tha back yard."

Finn frowned as he watched a defeated Seth head outside, picking up the kitten from the pillow she was still curled up on in the back seat.  Rolling the window back up and locking up, he turned to find Finn waiting with the two excited dogs running around his feet. 

Sighing, Seth led them back into the house where Roman was heading back down the stairs.  Nodding at him, he shared, "I got him to agree to talk to you for a moment so try to make the most of it."

Steeling himself, Seth headed upstairs with all three pets with him, determined to get through to his fiancé once and for all. 

At the door of the bedroom he hesitated for a moment before turning the knob and entering, his heart aching as he found Dean curled up against the headboard, his head resting against his curled up knees, body still trembling.

Looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes, Dean spoke to him monotonously as he stated, "I'm sorry I broke my promises to you.  I said I'd never willingly hurt you and I said I'd never leave you, but I can't do one without doing the other."

"Didn't we agree a long time ago that if either of us screwed up that we'd find a way to fix it?  Besides, you didn't hurt me, not the way you think anyways.  The only thing hurting me is that you won't talk to me; won't listen to me!  Please, will you just give me a chance to talk to you?" Seth pleaded with him.

Eyes closing, Dean murmured, "Say what you need to say."

Tentatively, Seth perched on the edge of the bed, pulling his legs up underneath him as the dogs jumped up, piling on either side of a surprised Dean, who couldn't help but pet them as they soaked up the attention.  He felt his heart break again as he saw Autumn curled up in Seth's lap.

Seeing Dean's expression, Seth suddenly reached over to the side table where he'd seen Dean's phone laying, opening it and pulling up the unread text from him, showing it to Dean, "I meant what I said here: we are your family and we're not going anywhere!  We refuse to let you go!"

Dean winced at the adorable picture of his boys protecting their "sister." He and Seth had worked so hard to integrate their little family and here he was blowing it all to hell, "M'sorry, so sorry!" he stated miserably.

Seth just shook his head, anger overtaking him, "Stop saying that!  You didn't do anything!  I came into that room looking for a way to break through the voices in your head D and I did that, I got you to concentrate on me and I invited you to take what you needed from me.  Did you feel me trying to get away from you?  Did you hear me once say no or plead for you to stop?  Because I did that with Patrick, even when he made me think I deserved what he was doing to me, I still fought him, still tried to make it end!  You didn't rape me, you could NEVER do that to me or anyone else!  You're not the monster he was babe and you never will be!"

"You don't need to protect me Princess.  I know what happened and I know what almost happened after.  I could have seriously injured you if my punch had connected.  How can you even look at me?" Dean shouted.

"You didn't touch me Dean!  You acted instinctively when you felt threatened, but you immediately pulled yourself back.  Why can't you see that?" Seth yelled back at him. 

Face crumbling, Seth was suddenly launching himself across the bed at Dean, making the dogs and Autumn scurry off the bed as he pushed Dean's legs down so he could straddle him.  As his tears began to soak Dean's t-shirt, Seth lay his head on his chest as he whispered to him, "Don't do this to yourself and to me!  You told me that no one besides Roman could handle all of this, but that's not true babe: I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.  I'm not, I'm not going anywhere."

Frozen, Dean lay there in shock for a moment before he tentatively lay a hand to Seth's back, gently stroking him as he cried.  Leaning down, he lay a kiss onto Seth's forehead as he whispered back, "You have to baby.  You've got to let me go for yourself and for our babies.  They need you, your friends need you.  You've got so many things to look forward to and eventually, eventually you're going to find someone worthy of all of that love you have; someone who will treat you the way you deserve."

Sobs wracked Seth's body again as he clung tighter to him, "I already found that in you Dean.  You are worthy of all the love in my heart because you gave me back my life.  You gave me back my self respect and my sanity, showed me what it means to have a true partnership.  Don't let them win!  Please Dean, don't let all of this be for nothing!"

Dean took a deep breath before pushing Seth away from him again.  Reaching up he cupped his cheek as he softly said, "It's time for you to go.  Don't come back here Seth because I won't be here.  You need to move on with your life and you won't be able to do that if you keep clinging onto hope.  It's over," Dean reached down and took off his ring, hand trembling as he lay it in Seth's palm.

Seth grabbed the ring and tried to force it back on Dean's finger, "No, I won't let you do this!  If you won't come home with me, then I'll stay here.  I'll stay in the other guest room and we can figure things out.  Maybe we can find a therapist out here that we can talk to.  Whatever you need to feel safe!"

"Go!" Dean roared, beginning to yell for Roman, who burst into the room to find Seth curled up on the floor and Dean throwing pillows at him as he kept repeating for him to go away.

Striding over to Seth, Roman tried to usher him out, but Seth refused, turning back towards Dean, fire flashing in his eyes as he stated, "I'll leave for now, but I'm not going home.  I told you that I'm not letting you walk away from our family and I meant it.  You can hole yourself up in here for as long as you want, but I'll still be here waiting for you and so will this," he stepped back over to the side table and lay Dean's ring down on it.

Dean watched him go quietly, but the second he was out of his sight, he broke down again as he screamed and began to punch at the wall above the bed.  Shaking his head, Roman moved forward to stop him, restraining him once again as he expressed his thoughts, "You're unraveling Dean and pretty soon none of us are going to be able to help you.  You're going to be exactly what you've worked your whole life to get away from being: miserable and alone.  You need help D and we can do that for you, but you've got to meet us halfway," he sighed as he watched Dean's blank expression.  "You're not protecting him D, you're condemning him to a life of misery and you're leaving him vulnerable to his father and Patrick's father and all of the things that you've helped him purge from his life."

Dean began to shake as his words penetrated the fog that he was in.  Seth's father and his friend were out for blood and they would use him leaving to get Seth where they wanted him.  Wincing, Dean hardened as he pronounced, "I'll go home for now, but only until I know Seth is safe from them.  However, I can't be alone with him.  I can't trust myself.  Will you come with me?"

Weary, Roman reluctantly agreed, sure that he'd just signed up for a fool's errand. 

The situation had spun so far out of his control the he didn't know which end was up anymore.  He had no idea how to help Dean or Seth and if he didn't figure it out soon, both of them would go over the precarious cliff that they'd been balanced on since they'd met.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	82. Chapter 82

Roman collapsed onto the couch, throwing his head back with a sigh as he grumbled, "I'm going to kill them both!"

Finn quirked a sad grin at him, "I've got ta hand it ta ya man, the fact that ya have been able to be so patient with them is pretty amazing.  I got frustrated about five minutes after we got in tha car to come back here!"

Roman shrugged, "Been dealing with Dean's mood swings and mental issues for years, but honestly it's never been this bad!"

Finn murmured in agreement as he checked his phone.  He'd left messages for both Matt and Sami explaining the situation to them and he figured he'd be hearing from them soon.  He knew they would be ready and willing to help any way they both could.

Closing his eyes, Roman let himself relax for the first time since Dean appeared on his porch. 

He'd managed to get them all back to Seth and Dean's house safely and Dean was now asleep on the fold out couch in the basement, determined to stay as far away from Seth as possible.

Seth had already tried to sneak down there three times, exploding on him and Finn when they cut him off each time. 

He'd been so happy when Roman had told him that Dean was going home with him, but he was wrecked when he'd explained that it was only because Dean was determined to protect him from the looming lawsuit and whatever his and Patrick's father were cooking up next. 

He hadn't understood when Roman gently told him that Dean had asked him to come with them and that Dean wanted to make sure that he wasn't left alone with Seth at any time.  Instead, he'd insisted that Dean had heard his pleas and that he just needed a little time alone before they could start working on things together.

In the car, Finn and Seth had sat up front with Roman and Dean taking the back, Dean deliberately placing himself behind Seth's seat so they couldn't face one another directly.  He had laid his head back and slept most of the trip, unwilling to communicate with any of them.

The longer the silence dragged on, the more forlorn Seth looked, his sad eyes peering at Dean in the rearview mirror.

By the time they pulled off to stay at a hotel for the night, you could cut the tension with a knife.  He'd shared a room with Dean and Finn had taken Seth to the one next door, both of them agreeing to get everyone up early to hit the road again.

He called Galina, who had been surprisingly supportive of the whole situation, knowing that without Roman's support that Dean would be lost to all of them.

After hanging up, he sat there thinking, wondering what he should do about work.  It was Saturday night and both he and Dean were expected to be at RAW on Monday, but he didn't think Dean could handle the pressure in his current condition. 

Nervously sweeping his hair up into a bun, he got up and went through one of his regular workout routines while Dean watched silently from the other bed. 

Finally, Roman couldn't take it anymore, "Either get down here and do this with me or find something else to do, but stop fucking staring at me!" he roared at him.

Blinking at him, Dean shared, "You know you don't have to do this.  You could go home to your family right now.  I'll disappear and everyone will be better off."

Shaking his head, Roman rose to his feet and stalked over to him, reaching out to give him a shake, "Stop it with that shit!  You disappearing to god knows where wouldn't be best for anyone!  Promise me that no matter what, you'll stay and try to figure this out with us Uce!  Seth needs you and whether you want to admit it or not, you need him too!"

"Doesn't matter what I need, he deserves better and I need to keep him safe!" Dean shared sulkily.

Throwing up his hands, Roman turned and flopped down on his own bed, "I don't know how to help you this time D!  I'm lost here."

Dean nodded dejectedly, "Told you it would eventually happen.  Even you have your limits.  After you help me with this, we can part ways.  I'll resign and you can find a new partner.  Just promise me that you'll explain to Jo Jo that I love her and always will."

"Oh my god!" Roman suddenly lapsed into a stream of Samoan, something that normally would have made Dean laugh at him because he only did it when he was extremely angry.  Getting a hold of himself, he finally switched back into English as he sat up and stared his friend down, "There is no limit to our friendship D!  I'm not going anywhere.  I'm just admitting that I can't be the one to fix this this time.  You need to be a man and admit that you need help, real help!  You're tearing yourself and Seth apart Uce and the only way to fix this is if you reach out and do what needs to be done!"

Dean's eyes grew stormy as he icily replied, "You think I need to be locked up?  That I need a psychiatrist?  I guess I really am the lunatic that they all say I am, huh?"

Roman rolled his eyes at him, "If you keep going the way you are now, you will be living up to your nickname!  You're giving into those demons that plague you Dean.  You're letting them win, letting yourself buy into what they're showing you instead of facing reality.  Please don't let them win D!" he pleaded with him.

Dean shook his head, "I'm not going to a fucking psychiatrist!  I know what I did and why I did it, I don't need someone to tell me that my lack of parental love led to me becoming a monster!"

Taking a deep breath, Roman stood up, setting down in front of him on his bed, reaching out to lay his hand around the back of his neck, giving it a squeeze, "You're not a monster D.  You've done nothing but love Seth, care for him in a way no one else ever has.  You helped him gain confidence and respect for himself.  You helped him discover how to love again without fear of everything going wrong.  Don't throw that all away because of foolish pride.  It doesn't make you weak to reach out for help Uce.  I'm here, Finn's here and Seth is here.  Just let us help you!"

Allowing him to hug him for a minute, Dean then stood up and announced he was going to take a shower.  Watching him leave, Roman gave another sigh as he picked up his phone and called Hunter, explaining that Dean wasn't feeling well and with all of the drama that had been going on was well and truly exhausted.

After some pleading and nudging him with the idea that Dean disappearing for a couple of weeks would be a good thing for the Wyatt storyline, he seemed to be on board, telling Roman that he wanted him to come in to shoot a promo where he shared that Dean had disappeared after Bray's words last week.

Agreeing, Roman hung up, praying that he'd done the right thing.  If nothing else, this gave him two weeks to try to fix this mess. 

The next morning he met Finn in the corridor, checking in on Seth's condition and being told that he'd spent a sleepless night as Seth tossed and turned, waking up randomly in crying fits, blaming himself for Dean's mental state.  Like him, Finn was feeling just as helpless as he watched their friends heading right into self-destruction.

They'd hit the road again, this time with Roman and Dean in the front seat as Roman and Finn tried to keep the conversation going, but failing as both Seth and Dean barely answered them, choosing to spend their time either sleeping or staring fruitlessly out the windows.

They'd stopped for food, but neither Dean or Seth ate much, pushing the food on their plates around as they avoided one another's eyes.

The entire trip had been a nightmare and watching the desolation on Seth's face as Dean entered their home and immediately barricaded himself downstairs was something that Roman would never forget.  By the time he'd headed down to check on Dean, he'd curled himself up on the couch, lost to the world in sleep once again.

...

"Roman, hey Roman!" Roman woke to Finn's face above his own, gently shaking him awake.  "I'm headed up ta bed, but you were starting to look pretty uncomfortable here.  You should go ta bed too."

Stretching a bit, he nodded as he stood up, "Yeah, I was going to sleep on the couch, but I'm afraid Dean will try to sneak out or Seth will try to sneak in.  For now, we need to keep them apart.  They've got a air mattress down there in the closet so I'll just set that up and stay with Dean."

Finn frowned, "This is stupid!  We shouldn't have ta be refereeing our friend's relationship!  It's not fair: those two have been hurt more than anyone and they deserve ta be happy!"

"I know," Roman agreed.  "Maybe if I'd forced Dean to get help earlier..."

Finn cut him off, "No, this isn't your fault man!  We could have done tha same for Seth, but they are grown men and we can't make them do something they didn't want ta do.  We can only be there for them and try to nudge them in tha right direction."

Patting Finn on the back, Roman headed downstairs, quietly finding the mattress and unfolding it, pumping it up as Dean rolled over on the couch and whispered, "What are you doing Uce?"

"Making my bed.  Go back to sleep!" Roman shared.

"I thought you were sleeping on the couch," Dean inquired.

"I don't trust you not to walk out during the night and Seth keeps trying to get down here so here I am.  Deal with it!" he snapped, grabbing a pillow and some blankets from the closet and settling in, determined to ignore Dean's grumbling.

...

The entire house woke up to Dean's screams, Roman immediately rushing to his side, trying to shake him out of his torment as Dean thrashed and yelled Seth's name.

Before he knew what was happening, Roman found himself being pushed aside as a distressed Seth took his place at Dean's side, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "I'm right here babe.  I'm okay, we're both okay!"

Gasping for breath, Dean flew up, eyes opened wide as tears streamed down his face. 

Shaking, a sobbing Seth crawled up onto the couch, curling up in Dean's lap as he pulled his arms around him, relieved when Dean allowed it and even tightened his grip on him.

Standing in the doorway, Roman and Finn had to blink back their own tears as they watched the anguish in front of them.

 

 

 

 


	83. Chapter 83

It hadn't taken long for the pair to fall asleep still clinging tightly to one another.  Roman had covered them up and turned the light back out, plunging the room into darkness before joining Finn upstairs where he'd pulled out two beers, sliding one across to Roman as they sat at the kitchen table.

"Do ya think they'll be alright?" Finn's quiet voice seemed much louder in the silence house.

Hanging his head, Roman shrugged, "I don't know.  I hope the fact that Dean let Seth comfort him is a good sign, but there's something seriously wrong in his head and until he deals with it, this isn't going to get better."

Finn nodded forlornly, "Seth needs help too.  They are much too dependent on one another."

Roman raised his beer, waiting until Finn clicked his own with his as he exclaimed, "Amen to that!  I just wish we could get them to see that fact."

...

Seth stirred when Roman covered them up, but he froze, determined to not let on he was awake. 

He was afraid Roman would banish him back to his room and there was no way in hell he was leaving the safety of Dean's arms.  This was the first time in two days that he didn't feel completely helpless.

The second he heard Roman head up the stairs, he let himself relax, settling more comfortably against Dean's chest.  He lay there listening to Dean's heart beating below him, letting the sound take him back under as well.

Hours later, it was Dean who came to first, the sun shining through the window hitting him square in the eyes.  Making a noise of protest, he began to move, but Seth's tight grip on him kept him from going anywhere.

Staring down at him in both awe and fear, Dean found himself both wanting to run and wanting to cling tighter to him.  As he looked down at Seth's contented face, Roman's words from the previous day came back to him, " _You're tearing yourself and Seth apart Uce and the only way to fix this is if you reach out and do what needs to be done!...You're giving into those demons that plague you Dean.  You're letting them win, letting yourself buy into what they're showing you instead of facing reality..."_

Making a decision, Dean gently moved Seth until he was laying upwards against the back of the couch and he slowly slid out from underneath him. 

Turning back, he was greeted with Seth's distressed face, who clearly believed he was being rejected once again.  In that moment, Dean knew he was making the right decision as he moved to sit back against the other end of the couch, pulling Seth's legs, which were still under the blanket, back across his own as he held his arms out for him.

With a look of relief flooding his face, Seth hesitantly slid back down as Dean's arms enveloped him, maneuvering him until his head was back against his chest as he whispered, "Wanted to get us out of the sun."

"K," Seth's tiny voice made Dean wince.  He knew that he was responsible for making Seth so unsure of himself and he didn't know what he could do to fix it.

Taking a deep breath, he brokenly tried to put his thoughts into words, "R-R-Ro...," he took another breath, wetting his lips before continuing.  "Roman said that I'm the one tearing us apart, that I'm letting my demons win.  I don't want that. i don't want to lose you; don't mean to hurt you, but I don't know what to do to make it stop.  I, I keep seeing it every time I close my eyes," he shuddered.

"Look at me," Seth was suddenly leaning up, his hands enveloping Dean's cheeks as his eyes looked deeply into his own.  "You know that everything they're showing you is bullshit right?  You didn't do anything wrong!"

Dean shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly again, "I hurt you!"

"Only when you ran from me and then closed yourself off.  I just need you to talk to me, to let me in.  We can deal with anything if we're together.  You're the one who showed me that," Seth lay a kiss to his forehead, making Dean shiver.

"I..." Dean gasped as he felt his chest contracting, a panic attack rising up.

Instantly, Seth was laying back down against him, murmuring gently into his ear as he soothingly ran his hand across Dean's chest, "Shh, you're okay D, we're okay.  Just breathe with me babe.  In and out."

Dean tried to follow him, taking shaky bouts of air inside as he attempted to let his chest rise and fall with Seth's, which was tightly pressed against his own. 

It took longer than usual, but he was eventually able to get himself under control as he became aware of Seth's hand still moving across him as the other moved his sweaty curls away from his face.

"S-s-sorry," he exhaled.

Seth shook his head, moving away from him as he stood up, making Dean wince as he told himself that he deserved to have Seth walk away, that Seth was better off without him and his issues. 

Of course, Seth had no intention of leaving.  He just moved over to the refrigerator they had down there next to their gym equipment, pulling out a water and one of the cooling towels they always kept on hand.

He came back quickly, sitting at the other end of the couch, wincing against the sun as he gently leaned over and placed the towel behind Dean's neck, bringing it up around his face and gently wiping at Dean's face and forehead before handing him the water and urging him to sit up and drink.

Satisfied when Dean had taken a few drinks, Seth took it from him and lay it on the tv tray as he lifted the blanket and crawled back underneath it, physically taking Dean's arms once again and placing them around his own back.

Still shaking in the aftermath of the attack, Dean's chattering teeth squeezed out a weary, "W-w-why?"

Not even pretending to misunderstand him, Seth lay a kiss against his throat as he whispered, "I need to be able to take care of you the way you've always taken care of me.  If it was me laying here right now battling my demons, would you walk away?  Would you leave me alone?"

Dean shook his head, "No," he wheezed.

Seth nodded back, "Exactly.  I don't know how we're going to fix this babe.  I don't know how I can get you to see what really happened the other night, but I'll figure it out.  I have to because I can't live without you.  Just promise me that you'll stop running from me, that you'll give me a chance?"

"I'll, I'll try Princess," Dean agreed instantly.

Seth grinned at the use of his cherished nickname, leaning up to lay a chaste kiss to Dean's lips, "Thank you.  I love you D, so damn much.  I promise you that I won't let you fall!"

Trying desperately to believe his words, Dean returned the kiss, ignoring the screams in his brain telling him to run before he hurt him again as he returned the sentiment, "I love you too baby.  If nothing else, remember that."

Frowning at his tone and words, Seth let himself be pulled back into his arms securely.  Things were far from over and he was scared of what was next, but at least he was here with Dean against him and he was determined to keep it that way.

...

That was how Roman found them mid-afternoon.  He'd peeked in on them a couple of times, but they were talking quietly and he didn't want to interrupt.

Standing above them, he took in the view of both of their tear-streaked faces and their desperate hold on one another.  Clearly they'd worked through some things, but Roman knew that this was just the beginning of what promised to be a long road ahead.

With a sigh, he shook Dean's shoulder, gesturing towards the food he'd brought down with him.  Nodding at him, he left, pausing in the doorway as he watched Dean wake Seth up gently, the pair sitting up, still cuddling as they shared the plate of fajitas that he'd brought down to them.

As he headed back upstairs, he prayed that this wasn't just the calm before another storm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	84. Chapter 84

After eating the dinner Roman had brought down for them, the pair had cuddled right back up on the couch underneath the blanket. 

Neither of them were ready to face anyone else and neither had any inclination to move from where they were at. 

As Dean's hand moved through Seth's hair gently, Seth murmured into his chest, "D?"

Dean's hand stilled, "Yeah Princess?"

"A-a-are w-w-we okay?" he stuttered.

Dean sighed as he gripped him tighter, "I want us to be," he shared mournfully. 

Seth's body relaxed as he took in Dean's words. They weren't exactly what he wanted to hear, but at least Dean was talking to him and clearly wanted to fix things.

Seth nuzzled against his neck as he shared, "Me too, but I know there are things that still need to be fixed, but I want you to know that I'm here and I'm not going anywhere.  I'm not trying to push you into anything.  Take all the time you need, but can you just promise me that you won't shut me out again?"

"I'll try Seth, but I just don't know.  My mind is such a mess right now and I'm so scared."

"I know you are D, but you don't need to be afraid of hurting me.  We don't have to talk about it right now, but you didn't hurt me.  You didn't do anything to me that I didn't ask for or want."

"Okay."

Seth lay there in the silence, mind whirling as he wondered if Dean really meant that or if he was just saying what he knew Seth wanted to hear. 

Deciding to table it for now, Seth let himself drift back off to sleep, safely ensconced in Dean's arms.

...

Seth woke to Dean yelling as he thrashed around below him.  Gently, he whispered to him once again until he was able to break through the nightmare and draw him out of it. 

Heart pounding and breathing heavily, Dean sat himself up against the couch arm as he tried to calm down.

Leaning in front of him, Seth rubbed at his arms, trying to help as much as he could, "You're okay and I'm okay D."

Dean nodded, still trying to get his breathing under control.  Once he seemed to be doing better, Seth threw himself into his arms, happy when Dean's arms came around to hold him tight, "Sorry," he muttered.  "You should go up to bed so you can get some sleep without having to deal with all of this."

Seth froze for a moment, afraid Dean was going to send him away again.  Leaning back, he shook his head, "I've slept better here in your arms than I have in the last few days.  I'm not going anywhere!"

Sighing, Dean acquiesced, pulling him back into his arms, "I don't think I can go back to sleep at this point.  It's kind of early, but are you up for some breakfast?"

Nodding eagerly, Seth stood up, holding his hand out to Dean's, relieved when Dean allowed the action.  Together, they headed upstairs where Dean began to throw together a quick breakfast.

Seth settled on a stool at the island to watch him, frowning when Dean looked up and snapped, "What?"

Lowering his eyes to the counter, he weakly replied, "I like watching you cook."

Realizing how harsh he'd been, Dean sighed, "I'm sorry Princess.  I just feel like everyone's eyes are on me right now and I hate that I feel like you all are studying me to see if I'm about ready to lose it. 

"We love you D and we just want to help you.  Don't take it as us trying to judge you, but rather us trying to figure out the best way to help."

"Alright, I'll try.  Now, I'm going to get back to breakfast and you can get back to watching my ass!"

Seth's eyes widened at the teasing.  He wasn't expecting Dean to joke with him at all, but definitely not about anything sexual.  Instinctively, he responded back with his own teasing tone, "Breakfast D, I'm watching you make breakfast, but if your ass happens to be pointed in my direction it is kind of hard not to look!"

Turning, Dean winked at him as he threw the omelette and toast on some plates and brought them over, sitting down next to Seth. 

Seth was thrown once again when Dean leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss before pulling back and beginning to eat.

Before long, they heard Roman stirring in the living room and once Finn came downstairs, the pair headed in, surprised to see Dean and Seth in such a domestic scene.

Jumping up, Dean served them their own helpings with a flourish before moving back to Seth's side.  Turning towards Roman, he asked, "Hey Uce, don't we have a flight to catch today?"

Wincing, Roman reluctantly answered, "Actually, it's Tuesday D."

Dean's eyebrows jumped up, "Fuck!  Hunter's going to kill us and Vinnie's going to split us up!"

Roman shook his head, "It's taken care of.  We've both got a couple of weeks off and that gives them time to work this Wyatt story a bit longer before we can face off again."

Leaping to his feet, Dean rattled his plate as he pounded on the stool, "Who the fuck gave you the right to do that?  You don't get to make life decisions for me.  The last time I looked, you're not my husband or my parent so back the fuck off!  Where the hell did I leave my phone?  I need to talk to Hunter."

As Dean started to walk away, Roman swiftly moved in front of him, "Dammit D, you're in no condition to be at work right now!  You need to take this time to get yourself together."

Before anyone knew what was happening, Dean's fist was meeting Roman's jaw, snapping his head to the side as he stood there in shock.  Even in Dean's worst moments, he had never laid a hand on him.

Silence reigned as Finn and Seth remained frozen and Roman just stood there, unwilling and unable to go back at Dean as he continued to throw punches at his torso.

Wearing himself out as he realized that Roman wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of fighting back, Dean collapsed to the floor, panting heavily as he buried his head in his hands. 

As Seth watched Dean begin to pull at his hair again, he began to move towards him but Finn held him back.  Struggling against him, Seth began to yell Dean's name as he kicked out, trying to get to him.

The longer Seth struggled, the more he began to lose it himself, eventually ending up in a sobbing heap at Finn's feet, mumbling to himself about getting what he deserved finally and not being good enough for Dean. 

As Finn shared a pain-filled look with Roman, he dropped to his knees, trying to comfort Seth who was rambling about not being able to take care of Dean the way he did for him.

Crouching down in front of Dean, Roman leaned forward, whispering in his ear the way he'd seen Seth do it.

 "It's OK D, you didn't hurt me.  You need to stop hurting yourself.  You're scaring Seth!  He needs you Dean."

Jerking, Dean wild eyes focused in on him and then turned frantically, searching for Seth.

When he found the mess in Finn's arms, he let out his own wail, crawling across the floor to get to him.

Finn backed off as Dean pulled Seth from his lap and into his own.  As he cradled him against him, he looked up at Roman, the raw pain in his eyes making Roman wince, "I need help Uce!  I can't keep doing this to him or you."

Nodding, Roman moved over to them, sitting down in front of him slowly, "And we're going to get it for you Uce, but you've got to work with us.  No one here is trying to make you do anything you don't want to do; we're not trying to lock you up, alright?"

Dean shrugged helplessly, "I know you would never willingly hurt me, but my head..."

Roman reached over, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I talked to your therapist and she recommended another psychiatrist that she feels you would take to.  You and Seth both could use some one-on-one therapy that you're not getting with the couple's counseling.  I know you hate the idea D, but until you release all of the things inside of you, you're never going to be the husband that I know you want to be.  Please D, just talk to someone!"

Trembling as he looked down at the wreck that was laying in his arms, he sighed reluctantly, "I, I'll try.  I'm sorry, fuck I'm sorry I hit you Ro!"

Roman just shook his head at him, "None of that!  If you want to make it up to me, just put your all into getting better.  You didn't hurt me, you just needed to let out some of that built up aggression and I was there.  I get that and it's okay.  I just want and need for you to deal with all of this shit so we can get back to work and continue to show the industry why they don't mess with The Shield!" Roman felt a weight lift off of him as Dean's lips betrayed a smile.

"Believe that," he whispered quietly, holding out his fist, which Roman gladly bumped.

Standing up, Roman held his hand out towards Dean, helping him stand as Dean threw Seth into his arms bridal-style. 

Turning towards Finn, Dean thanked him for all of his help and for being there for him and Seth.  He reiterated his promise to try to fix things as he disappeared from the room, carrying Seth up to their bedroom.

Inside, he lay him gently on the bed, pulling back the covers and getting him situated before pulling them tightly against him.  He then headed to the bathroom, getting a glass of water and wetting a wash rag before heading back to him.

Sitting down on the end of the bed, he slowly drew the rag across Seth's face, wiping away the tracks of tears as he whispered to him, "I know I scared you baby and I'm sorry I made you feel like I didn't appreciate your help or want it.  The truth is I wouldn't be here right now without you.  You keep me going everyday Seth.  I love you Princess and I promise that I'm going to do everything in my power to keep us together.  I don't want to and I can't lose you.  I'm sorry I tried to leave, that I ever tried to give you back my ring."

To punctuate his words, Dean reached into the pocket of the pants he'd been wearing for two days as he pulled out the ring he'd stuck there.  He'd been pulling it out and staring at it every so often, trying to figure out what was best for Seth, for him to walk away or for him to stay and fight this. 

Seeing Seth like he was now had made the decision for him.  If he left, he'd be leaving Seth to deal with his own darkness and insecurities and Dean would rather face any personal harm and pain that he had to than watch Seth become the person that he was before Dean met him. 

He knew how easy it would be for Seth to have his own breakdown and for his father to take advantage of that.  No, there was no way he was going to let that happen!

While he'd been talking, Seth's eyes had closed, tears still flowing behind his eyelids as he tried to get himself together.  He'd been so caught up in his head downstairs that he'd barely heard the conversation between Dean and Roman. 

Now, as Dean poured his heart out to him, he found himself finally focusing back in.  Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes, reaching out to cup Dean's cheek, "Do you mean that?"

Nodding, Dean handed the cup of water, urging him to drink as he slid onto his own side of the bed and got under the covers.  After taking a few swallows, Seth set the glass down and immediately snuggled up against Dean's side, "I love you too D, so damn much and the thought of you leaving me kills me.  I don't think I could handle it.  You say I keep you going, but you do the same for me.  You gave me back my life babe and I can't and I won't lose it.  I need you and our babies need you," his hands clutched onto Dean's shoulders tightly.

Reaching down, Dean drew his face up to his so their eyes were meeting dead on, "I promise that I'm going to try to fix this Princess.  In the meantime, we'll take things slow if that's alright, but I'm not going anywhere.  I'm in this for the long haul," to reiterate his words, Dean grabbed one of Seth's hands, dropping his ring into his as he held his hand out to him, "Put it on me Seth."

Wiping away another trail of tears, Seth's trembling hand reached out to Dean's own as he slid the symbol of their love back home.  Leaning over, he kissed him, their tears now intermingling as Dean drew him back down to his chest.

The room grew silent as they just lay there, listening to the other's heartbeat and praying that together they could find a way out of this mess.


	85. Chapter 85

They'd spent the next few hours just talking about everything that had happened and Seth did his best to get Dean to understand what had really happened between them. 

Although he believed that Seth wasn't lying to him, he still couldn't get the image of Seth's blood and him cowering away from him out of his head.

Reluctantly, he had Seth call the number of the psychiatrist their therapist had recommended for them and they'd set up a appointment for the following morning. 

Afterwards, Seth had snuggled up to him, gently reassuring him that they'd be together every step of the way.

Eventually, they'd decided to get up and head downstairs where they sat and talked with Roman and Finn, explaining their decision as the pair beamed at them, happy that they were finally working with one another to fix things.  Roman had noticed the ring prominently displayed back on Dean's hand, but he chose not to say anything figuring it was best to do nothing that could potentially set Dean off or make him uncomfortable.

However, when Dean told him and Finn that they could go home, Roman found himself protesting, "D, do you really think that's a good idea?  Just a couple of nights ago you were begging me to keep Seth away from you.  I think it's best if I hang around for a few more days and just be here for both of you if you need to talk.  Sometimes when you're so close to a situation you can't see the full picture and I'm more than willing to help you with that if need be.  I'd feel better if I stayed."

Rolling his eyes, Dean shrugged, "Up to you Uce.  I just figured you'd like to get back to the family."

Roman leaned over and nudged his shoulder, "I will as soon as I know that you both are good, alright?"

Dean tried to smile back at him, "Alright," his eyes dropped guiltily once again.  "I'm sorry again for earlier."

Roman reached over and covered his mouth as he stated, "Forgotten, so let's all just move on."

With a sigh, Dean turned his attention towards Finn, "So I'm guessing you're not going anywhere either?"

Finn just grinned heartily back at him, "That's a given!"

Acting as if they were killing him, Dean sighed as he sat back, reaching over to draw Seth into his lap as he tried to cover the happy feeling welling up inside of him.  He had a amazing support system around him and he wasn't sure what in the hell he'd done to earn it, but he knew that he needed to do everything he could to hang onto it.

...

They'd hung out downstairs most of the evening just watching tv and playing cards, all of them staying away from any alcohol in support of Dean, who swore that he wouldn't touch the stuff until he had control of his life once again.

Eventually, Dean could see Seth starting to drift off and right in the middle of a hand, leaned over and scooped his fiancé up into his arms as he bid the others a good night, telling them they could make themselves useful and walk the dogs.

As he headed upstairs, their laughter rang out behind him as Seth clung happily to him.

Once in their bedroom, Dean proceeded to help Seth undress, leaving him in his boxers as he led him to the bathroom to clean up and brush his teeth as Dean proceeded to do the same before heading to bed.

Waiting until Seth was snug under the covers with Autumn curled up with him, Dean shut off the light before crawling under on his side. 

As he settled back, he was surprised to see Seth frowning at him, his face lit up by the moonlight coming through the window, "What?" he asked, confused.

"Why are you still in your clothes?" Seth asked, biting his lip nervously.

Caught, Dean's eyes dropped as he tried to come up with a answer that would satisfy him, but Seth was having none of it as he reached over and made Dean look up at him, "Tell me!" he insisted.

Sighing, Dean answered honestly, "I'm afraid of losing control.  I can't trust myself around you right now."

Seth's pained expression made Dean's heart drop, but then he was closing the distance between them as he pulled Dean in to rest against his chest, gently stroking his hair as he tried to reassure him, "I trust you D.  You didn't hurt me before and you won't hurt me now.  I know that it's too soon for us to, well you know, but I just want to hold you and feel your heat against mine."

In spite of himself, Dean felt himself grinning at the blush rising across Seth's cheeks.  Even after all this time he was so damn modest.

Bracing himself, Dean slid back as he tossed his shirt over the side of the bed.  As he turned back to Seth, he was surprised when his hands were at his waist, helping him slide off his pants. 

Now both clad in just their boxers, Seth happily pulled back down under the covers as he turned around and plastered himself against him as he took on the small spoon role, "I love you Dean."

Thanking whatever god had brought this man to him, Dean repeated the sentiment, "Love you too Seth, so damn much!"

Dean's last thought before he slipped into sleep was that he could do anything if he knew this was what was always waiting for him on the other side.

...

Morning dawned too quickly for them both as their alarm went off, signaling that it was time to get up and get ready for their appointment.

Dean found himself snapping at him when Seth accidentally stepped into his path on his way to the bathroom and then later found himself getting crabby with Finn and Roman when they were teasing him in the same way they always did. 

What made it even worse was that all three of them played it off as if nothing had happened, choosing to ignore him and continue on with what they were doing rather than yelling back at him, giving him a legitimate outlet for his frustration and nervousness.

By the time he and Seth got in the car and began the drive to the psychiatrist's office, Dean was practically jumping out of his skin.  He could feel Seth's eyes peering at him worriedly throughout the drive, making him even crazier.

Finally he couldn't take it anymore, "Fucking stop it!" he yelled, making Seth jump.

"What?" he asked tearfully as he tried to concentrate on the road.

Sighing, Dean just shook his head, "Stop looking at me like you're waiting for me to explode!"

Seth opened his mouth to protest, but Dean gave him a look that shut him up quickly.  Letting out a sigh of his own, he decided to reach out and grab Dean's hand instead, giving it a squeeze as he tried to convey that he was just as nervous as he was.

Instantly, Dean felt himself relaxing a bit as he drew some much needed strength from Seth, correctly reading that he wasn't the only one with concerns and anxiety.  Closing his eyes, Dean reminded himself to breathe and repeated his vow from the night before to do everything in his power to hold onto his life with Seth.

Although it worked in that moment, any calm that he'd managed to cling onto was gone the second they were standing in the new doctor's office as they shook MIchael Atkins' hand.

Looking around at the impressive credentials hanging on the wall and the surprisingly homey office space that he was surrounded by did nothing to chase away his uneasiness.

Mental illness was something that had cropped up in his family more than once and he'd always been secretly terrified that he'd end up walking that path choosing to ignore his issues rather than dealing with them.

As the psychiatrist asked them to have a seat, Dean found himself dragging his chair closer to Seth's needing to hold onto the warmth and courage he inspired in him.

Staring at them for a moment, Dr. Atkins then proceeded to do the one thing that frightened them both, "Now I'm to understand that both of you are looking for some help dealing with some issues you've come across?  I agreed to meet with you both this morning to get a brief understanding of what we are going to be dealing with, but in the future I'll have you both book separate appointments..."

Before he could finish the sentence, both Dean and Seth were leaping to their feet and loudly protesting.

Setting back in surprise, the psychiatrist got the tail end of Dean's rant, "...it's bad enough that I have to be here at all.  It took everything I had just to walk through those doors and there's no way in hell that I'm ever coming in here without Seth!"

Staring at them silently, he finally urged them to sit back down, which the pair did reluctantly, gripping tightly to one another's hands.

"Alright, we can work on joint sessions for now, but there is going to come a point where I'm going to need to speak to you both separately.  Having others in the room sometimes colors our statements or causes us to bite back our words or water down what we are feeling.  Do you think that you'd be okay with a half hour session on your own each time while the other sits right outside the door?  Then we could spend the other hour with both of you together," he tried to appease them.

Sharing a look with Dean, Seth gave a shrug, "Alright," he whispered, answering for them both.  "However, I'm not sure if you know that Dean's work schedule will make it hard for us to meet weekly sometimes.  We may have to change up days and occasionally miss a week when he's overseas or on a extended house show tour.  I will not come here without him!" he stated emphatically.

Nodding, Dr. Atkins explained that he understood and that he'd work with their schedules as best he could. 

With the time they had left, he proceeded to get the full story about what had occurred over the last week and then slowly began working them backwards to when they first met, running out of time before he could delve into their lives before they met one another.

Standing up he shook both of their hands as he shared, "I know it takes a real leap of faith to put yourself out there like this, but I'm here to reassure you that in the end you are both going to greatly benefit from these sessions and you'll find new and better ways to deal with life's daily frustrations and hits."

"Thank you," Seth answered, even though the doctor's eyes were fixed on Dean's, who was staring challengly back at him.  Looking to avoid any more confrontations, Seth quickly pulled Dean out of the office with him.

The moment they were outside, Dean found himself with a armful as Seth launched himself into his arms, "Are you alright?" he asked, surprised.

Nodding, Seth clung to him even tighter, "I know how hard that was for you, but you did it for me!  I don't even know how to tell you how much that means to me."

Dean's eyes widened, dumbstruck at the sentiment in his words,"I know that's not something you've ever wanted to do either Princess, but you are here doing it for me so I can get better and I will forever be grateful for that.  The fact that after everything you are still here fighting by my side means everything!  I hate this whole thing, but I'll do anything to make things right between us."

"Me too," Seth shared as he leaned up for a gentle kiss before reluctantly parting from him and sliding into the car.

As they headed back out on the road, Seth was happy to hear Dean begin singing under his breath with the song on the radio, clearly in the present and not stuck in his head like he had been so much over the last few days. 

Seth wasn't sure if the session had anything to do with it or if just the fact that they'd pledged their love and support to one another was enough to drive Dean's monsters away for the moment, but he really didn't care as long as that smile stayed on Dean's face.

 

 

 


	86. Chapter 86

The next week flew by as Dean and Seth tried to find some sense of normality again, but it was difficult with Roman and Finn in their house keeping a eye on them and Dean worrying about whether he'd still have a job to go back to even though Roman reassured him that everything was fine.

Although they were on the same page once again, determined to fix things, there was still a awkwardness between them as they tried to figure out the new boundaries of their relationship. 

Seth wanted and needed to be able to show Dean how much he loved him, but Dean was still reluctant to touch or be touched in any way beyond a chaste kiss and hug.

They'd had two more joint counseling sessions and one couples counseling session in that time and although neither of them had wanted to be at them, they managed to make it through them without any meltdowns or Dean attacking their psychiatrist so Seth counted that as a win.

Unfortunately, today was the first day that they'd be meeting Dr. Atkins separately and Seth was scared about all of the things that could go wrong and scared about what might be said.

To make matters worse, Roman had been called into work to film a promo to cause more mystery about Dean's disappearance and Dean had been on edge ever since he'd left, angry all over again about Roman making decisions for him.

Finn had wisely decided to stay holed up in his room leaving Seth to deal with Dean's moodiness.  He'd grabbed the dogs and took them for a walk just to have a few moments alone and was just hanging up the leashes when a knock rang out at the door.

Groaning, he moved to open it up only to find his worst nightmare standing in front of him, "What the hell do you want now?" he asked his father.

Staring back at him, the man who raised him had the gall to suddenly begin laughing at him as he sneered, "I figured that I'd give you one last chance to fix things son.  The court case begins next week and surely you've realized by now that this isn't just going away.  The media has seized onto Dean's sketchy past and they aren't going to let go of this.  I know what happened at that club you guys went to and I know he's hanging by a thread right now.  I also know that he's seeing a psychiatrist.  Say the word and this can all go away.  He can continue to get the help he needs and without your drama in his life, he can begin to put the pieces back together."

"Fuck off!" Dean's voice rang out behind them as he moved into the living room.  "His answer is the same that's it's always been.  He wants no part of you and your influence and your money.  I'm not going anywhere and we ARE getting married and you won't be a part of any of it!"

Seth had to hide a smile as he watched Dean let loose.  He knew that Dean's frustration had been reaching a boiling point and now he had a target to unleash it all out on and although he'd normally intervene, he had no problem with Dean taking it out on his so-called parent.

Turning back to him, he stated, "Exactly!  I already told you that I'm done with you and that's not going to change.  Do whatever you feel you must, but just know that there is nothing that can make me leave Dean or vice versa.  Yes, we've been getting therapy to help deal with some things and at the end of the day we're both going to be stronger for it.  We're also attending couple's counseling in case your little spies didn't pick up on that."

Grinning proudly, Dean came up behind Seth, pulling him back into his arms firmly as he lay his chin on his shoulder, "We're more than ready for this court farce so maybe you should be off with your little buddy plotting how not to come out of this looking like the fools that you are!"

Nodding, Seth slammed the door in his father's face, trembling as he turned around in Dean's arms and wound his own around his neck, "Have I told you how much I love when you get all protective of me?"

Dean grinned at him, "No, but feel free to any time."

Seth rolled his eyes as he leaned forward for a kiss, which Dean was happy to provide.  Holding firmly onto the back of his head, Seth kept him trapped there as he ran his tongue across Dean's lips begging for entrance, pleasantly surprised when Dean opened up for him.

As they stood there, exploring one another, Seth let himself relax as his hands moved down to grasp Dean's ass as he gave it a squeeze, making Dean jump and pull away, his eyes roaming everywhere but to Seth's as he practically shouted, "We should get ready to head out."

Seth watched mournfully as Dean practically flew up the stairs, leaving him behind.  Collapsing down onto the couch, his head fell into his hands as he tried to keep the tears filling his eyes from dropping.

By the time Dean joined him again, he'd gotten himself under control and he threw him a smile as he grabbed the car keys and they made the quick trip to the psychiatrist office.

They parted in the lobby as Seth went in for his half hour session first.  He was shaking from nerves, but he tried to put up a strong front for Dean.

Inside, he gave a shaky smile to the doctor as he took his seat.

"So Seth, I know that these one-on-one sessions are a bit scary, but I really believe they are a important part of working through the issues that you and Dean are facing," Dr. Atkins shared.

Seth just nodded, unable to find his voice at the moment.

Continuing on, the psychiatrist began to nudge him, "So, during our last session we delved into the lives that you and Dean had growing up and the lives you were living before you met one another.  We were cut off before we could finish that chat and I just had a few questions for you.  We've talked about what you want to get out of these sessions and your issues as a couple, but I'm curious about the things you feel that you need to work on outside of your relationship with Dean."

Seth stared at him in confusion, "I'm sorry?"

Sitting back. the doctor calmly responded, "There must be things in your life separate from Dean that you'd like to talk about?  I mean perhaps work-related problems or the problems that you have with your family?"

Seth glared at him, "Dean is my life!  I'm not planning on separating from him!"

Eyes widening a fraction, Dr. Atkins sat back forward as he firmly stated, "I didn't say anything about you leaving Dean.  I'm talking about the parts of your life that Dean isn't involved in."

"Dean and I are involved in every part of one another's lives!" Seth snapped back.

Nodding to himself, Dr. Atkins clasped his hands in front of him as he stared at Seth for a fraction more than was comfortable before he opened his mouth and shared, "Alright, perhaps that's something that we should talk about.  The key to any healthy, successful relationship is the ability to balance time spent together and much needed time apart.  You both need to have your own interests, hobbies and friends."

Seth's mouth opened and closed as he struggled to come up with a response, stuck on the idea that he and Dean should spend even more time apart.

...

Dean paced in the lobby as he waited for Seth to come out.  He hated this and he was willing to tell anyone who would listen, but he knew that if he wanted to save his relationship that he needed to do this for him. 

Sighing, he threw himself back in his seat, his eyes counting down the minutes.  As the door swung open, he was met with his fiancé's tear-stained face as he threw himself into his arms.

Glaring at the doctor behind him, he stroked Seth's head, "What's wrong Princess?  What did he do?"

Seth sobbed as he babbled what sounded like nonsense into Dean's shoulder.  Turning back to the doctor, Dean roared, "That's it, we're out of here!"

Before Dean could drag him away, Seth managed to raise his head and shout, "No!  If I had to do this, then so do you!  Just don't let him convince you that we're supposed to be leading separate lives."

Dean's eyes cut the man down as he let Seth settle down into one of the chairs before kissing his forehead as he stomped his way into the office and threw himself into one of the chairs, "Give me what you got!" he dared.

Rubbing his forehead, the doctor sighed, this was going to be harder than he'd thought!

...

_Do you really think that Bray Wyatt and his goons scare us?  He can throw whatever he wants at us, The Shield isn't going anywhere!  Dean needed a little time to himself, but he will be back next week and we will return to doing what we do best: taking care of business!_

Dean sighed as he watched Roman's promo.  He and Seth were cuddled up on the couch with Finn sprawled out on the floor below them. 

Seth had been suspiciously quiet since they'd left the office and Dean didn't know what to do to make him open up. 

After a reluctant half hour of answering the psychiatrist's questions about his upbringing and the moments in his life where he'd felt he was losing control, the doctor had allowed Seth back into the office as he again shared his idea about them needing to build their own life space that allowed them key moments to themselves.

Although Dean knew that Seth hated the idea, he couldn't help but agree with Dr. Atkins.  Roman had been telling him from day one that they were too dependent on one another and Dean needed to know that Seth would be okay when Dean couldn't be by his side. 

He'd always wanted Seth to be confident in himself and their relationship and if therapy could help him do that then maybe Dean needed to buckle down and put in his own work in order to get Seth to see the light.

He said goodnight to Finn as their friend excused himself, sharing that he was going to go Skype with Bayley.

After he disappeared, Dean looked down at Seth as he asked, "Finn said Sami and Matt were hoping to do lunch with you guys this week.  You should do that.  Ro and I can find something to do around here."

Seth frowned, "You're going back on the road next week.  We can do it then."

Dean shrugged, "If that's what you want, but you don't need to hang back here because of me.  I'm fine baby, better than I have been in awhile.  I'm not saying that the dark thoughts aren't there, but they are getting better.  Maybe there's something to be said for sharing this stuff out loud."

Seth's eyes dropped as he whispered, "You agree with him, don't you?"

Dean tipped his head at him, "Huh?

"You want us to be apart," Seth shared weakly.

Dean reached out, tipping his chin back up to him, "I agree that us having some time to ourselves isn't a bad thing, but I never want to be apart from you!"

Seth just pulled away from him, "It's alright, I know you don't want me anymore!  You can barely touch me."

Dean stared at him in shock, "You know that's not true Princess!"

"Isn't it?" Seth's hands formed fists as he began to pace in front of him.  "It's okay, I get it.  I've been here before!"

Dean frowned as he stood up and reached out for him, shaking as Seth pulled out of his reach, "Baby, I don't know what you're thinking, but..."

Seth cut him off as he whispered, "You're tired of me.  He got tired of me too, but he still saw me as his property.  I know you're not like that Dean!  I know that you're only staying to spare my feelings and I thought I could live with that, but I can't!  You deserve to be happy."

"I am happy Seth.  You make me happy.  I know it may not have seemed like it recently, but that's just my mind playing tricks on me again, trying to ruin the good for me, but that's why we're seeing the psychiatrist and our therapist, right?  We're trying to make sure all of the dark thoughts and pain in our past doesn't interfere with what we have now.  That's what I want Princess: that life with you and our babies," Dean whispered back as he finally got close enough to wrap his arms around him from behind.

Taking a shuddering breath, Seth's head came back to rest against his chest, "Promise?' he asked weakly.

"Promise!" Dean shared.  "There is no getting tired of you!  The fact that I'm still here fighting for this should be enough to tell you that Seth.  I've never stayed before, never tried to work things out.  You matter baby; you're all that matters!"

Letting out a sob, Seth turned around as he buried himself into his chest.  Dean's eyes closed as his hands moved up and down his back reassuringly.  Making a decision, he pulled back as he said, "Let's take the dogs out and then settle in for the night."

Seth nodded, reaching down to grab his hand as they called for Blue and Kevin and headed out around the block silently before coming back and feeding them and Autumn, who had made her way downstairs, having made peace with her brothers at last.

After turning out the lights and locking up, Dean led Seth back up to their room where they took their turns in the bathroom, Dean joining Seth in bed where he pulled him into his arms.

Looking down at him, he leaned down for a emphatic kiss that he followed up with, "I love you Princess, let me show you how much."

Seth lay there in shock as Dean's lips began to trail down his throat, his hands already making their way past his hips.


	87. Chapter 87

Dean felt Seth tense up below him and he froze.  Pulling back, his eyes dropped to the bedspread below them as he fingered the edges, "Sorry," he mumbled.  "I thought this was what you wanted, but I understand if you don't trust me to touch you."

Seth's eyes widened as he realized his mistake, instantly reaching up and placing his hands on Dean's thighs to keep him in place as he urged his eyes towards his, "Babe, look at me!" he ordered.

Satisfied that Dean was now paying attention, he exclaimed, "There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that I want more!  I just was surprised.  I don't want you to force yourself to do something you're not comfortable with.  Don't let my freakout rush you!"

Dean nodded thoughtfully as he looked down at him, "I've been thinking a lot about it Princess and if I don't at least try, we're never going to get anywhere.  I don't want to be afraid to touch you and I never want to see that defeated look on your face again.  I love you Seth and I really do want to show you."

Taking a deep breath, Seth nodded up at him, "Alright, we can try, but if it starts to bother you in any way we stop!  I swear that I'll understand.  I believed you when you told me that I'm what you want.  You said you don't want to see defeat on my face, well I don't want to see terror on yours ever again!"

Letting his body fall back down, Dean lay his head on Seth's chest as he lay his hand over his heart, "None of the rest matters, just this, just us."

Seth felt a smile coming to his face as he whispered, "That may be the most romantic thing you've ever said to me."

Dean grinned as he whispered back, "Don't get used to it!"

Seth took another hesitant breath as he reached down and raised Dean's head as they locked eyes once again, "I trust you," he said emphatically.

Tears welled up in Dean's eyes at his words, "You have no idea how much that means to me Princess!  God, I love you so much Seth.  I'm so damn sorry that I let my head take control and try to destroy us."

Seth nodded, "I know," he said as he cupped his cheek.  "I'm sorry that I tried to push you and I'm sorry that I didn't let myself see this coming in the first place.  I knew that things were bothering you, but I told myself it would all be okay.  I was so caught up in my own fears and pain that I failed to pay attention to yours."

Dean leaned down, leaning his forehead against his, "Hey, this one was all on me Princess!  You've done nothing but be there for me and support me in every way.  I am so grateful for you!  You're the first person in my life besides Ro who has ever bothered to stick around and fight it out with me."

Seth lifted his palm, giving it a gentle kiss as he whispered, "I always will.  Make love to me D!"

Dean slowly nodded as he slid back down, his lips once again beginning to trail down Seth's body, stopping to lick at his nipples and tickle his belly button as Seth squirmed and laughed below him.

Looking up, Dean made sure that Seth saw just how much he wanted him as he let his hands slowly caress the inside of his thighs, making Seth shiver with lust.

He continued to move downward as he took Seth's legs in his hands, nuzzling against his calfs as he massaged his feet and then lay a trail of kisses back upwards, returning to where Seth really wanted him.

Seth gasped as Dean stopped right over his throbbing cock, blowing gently on it with a smirk, making Seth reach down and smack at his head, "No teasing!  I need your mouth babe."

Dean just laughed as he leaned down and let the tip of his tongue touch his head, lapping up the pool of precum gathered there, making Seth let out a moan as he arched up.

Reaching up, Dean's hands pushed him back down as he warned, "Let me take care of you Princess!"

Nodding helplessly, Seth tried to hold himself still as Dean's talented mouth moved back down to envelope his hard dick with one gulp. 

"Fuck!" he swore as he moved against the back of Dean's throat as he relaxed his gag reflex.  Dean just moaned around him as his hands slowly began to stroke his balls in time as he began to move up and down, making Seth reach down and grab the back of his neck, "D," he gasped.  "I'm not going to last, want you in me, please!"

Setting up, Dean slid back up, settling his hips in between Seth's legs as he grinned down at him, "Your wish is my command Princess!  Grab me the lube."

Seth eagerly turned, frantically grabbing their side drawer open and tossing their half-empty tube to him.

Dean just laughed at him, "Patience baby, you don't want to strain anything!"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, "Screw that, just do it!"

Tilting his head at him, Dean shared, "I'd really love to eat you out right now, get you nice and loose and wet for me, but I don't think either of us is going to last that long, so maybe later."

Seth just nodded, "Yeah, yeah, sure later.  Get on with it D!"

Still smirking, Dean reached up and drew Seth into a sitting position so he could reach his lips, taking them possessively as he inserted the first finger inside Seth's needy hole. 

As he began to swirl around, Dean let out a moan of his own as he shared, "You're so damn tight Princess!  It's been way too long."

Seth murmured in agreement, already lost in the swirl of pleasure assaulting him as Dean moved to two fingers and then three, hitting his prostate with every pass.

They both gasped as Dean drew out and lined his own heaving cock at his entrance.  Locking eyes once again, Dean slowly began to push inside.

As images of their previous encounter began to suddenly assault him, Dean froze, blinking his eyes as he tried to get ahold of himself.

Seeing his hesitation, Seth reached up and lay his hand on his cheek, turning him towards him, "Baby, look at me.  We're here together.  I love you Dean and you love me and that's all that matters, right?" he pleaded.

Trembling, Dean shook his head, forcing the images and voices away, "Right, just us!"

Seth grinned at him as he reached out his hands towards him, feeling a sense of relief when Dean grasped onto them, giving them a squeeze as Dean slid back into place, once again pushing slowly into him.

The moment he was fully seated, they both sighed with pleasure, feeling like they were back where they belonged at last.

Eyes still glued to one another, Dean began a gentle push and pull, determined to give Seth everything he had, but it wasn't long before the slow movements grew harder as the passion welled up between them.

"Yes!" Seth thrashed above him as Dean's arms reached under him, cupping his ass as he pulled him up to straddle his lap as he began to pound into him.

As their bodies both screamed for completion, they began to kiss, desperately trying to convey everything they were feeling, their tongues beginning to dance as their bodies writhed against one another.

It didn't take long to get them both to the edge as Dean began to stroke Seth's cock in time with his thrusts, "Now Princess!" he urged, setting Seth into a furious climax as Dean's own release began to roll through his body.

Giggling, they collapsed to the bed, their bodies still enterwined as they messed up their sheets.  They didn't even bother to worry about it as they snuggled against one another.

"Love you D.  Thank you for fighting with me instead of against me."

"Love you Princess.  Thank you for welcoming me home."

The pair fell asleep still tied together, determined to hold onto this moment for as long as possible.


	88. Chapter 88

Although at some point they'd heard Finn come in and go into his room, neither of them had heard Roman come in that night, but they were both keenly aware of his return that morning when he pounded on their door and announced that if they wanted breakfast they'd be joining him and Finn downstairs ASAP.

"Fuck off!" Dean sat up and shouted before laying back down and pulling Seth right back into his arms, giving a contented sigh as his voice gentled, "Morning baby," he whispered as he lay a kiss on his forehead, grinning as Seth snuggled closer to him, laying his own kiss onto Dean's exposed chest.

"How attached are you to Roman's cooking?" Dean asked.

Seth just shrugged, "Not so much that I'm willing to leave this bed anytime soon," he answered as he slid up to to take Dean's lips in a confident kiss that left them both breathless.

Snuggling back up, Seth's hands began to rub across Dean's stomach as Dean's caressed his back, "I love you," Seth shared quietly.

Dean grinned as he returned the sentiment, "Love ya too Princess.  Thank you for being so patient with me.  Last night was amazing and waking up like this with you this morning just makes things even better."

Seth nodded as he continued to run his hands across Dean's front, "I know.  Best night of sleep I've had in weeks.  Thank you for trusting in us enough to try."

Dean laughed, "We did more than try baby!"

Seth sat up, rolling his eyes as he swatted at him, "You know what I mean!"

Dean just quirked a grin at him, "Yeah, I do, but I like riling you up," he winked at him suggestively.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Seth rose to the occasion, sitting up as he straddled Dean's thighs, "Yeah, well since you've caused a little problem for me, I think you should take care of it!" he thrust his hardening cock across Dean's abdomen.

Reaching out and giving it a firm stroke, Dean teased, "And what am I supposed to do with that?"

Seth just grinned at him, "Oh, I think you know!"

Dean just grinned back as he sat up, his face growing thoughtful, "So many options; this might take a minute!"

Seth growled as he pounced, his hand already grabbing the tube of lube that they'd left on the nightstand as he haphazardly threw some on his fingers and began to stroke Dean's entrance as he shared, "Too late, I'm going to take what's mine now!"

Dean's eyes darkened with undisguised lust, always exponentially turned on when Seth took charge, "Fuck yeah baby, all yours!" he growled back as his spread his legs wider to give his  fiancé better access.

Seth slowly began to work a finger into his entrance as his other hand reached up, taking Dean's cock in his hands, stroking lightly, just enough to get him worked up, but not enough to drive him over the edge.

Working his way up to three fingers, he was about to insert another, determined to draw things out, when Dean reached up and pulled him down, taking his lips roughly as he hissed, "Enough, get inside of me!"

Unable to ignore him, Seth quickly sat up, settling into position as their gazes locked, both of them reveling in having the intimacy almost lost to them back and in full swing. 

Stroking Dean's thigh, Seth lined himself up at his hole before pushing in slowly, allowing Dean to adjust to the sensation once again.

They both sighed as Seth seated himself in fully, Dean leaning up to steal another gentle kiss before pulling back and urging him on, "Give it to me Princess; everything you've got!"

Nodding, Seth drew out and back in for a minute before increasing his speed as he began to piston in and out as Dean clawed at his back for purchase.

Leaning down, Seth began to suckle at Dean's chest, leaving a massive bite mark behind, proclaiming him as his once again. 

Drawing back, Seth grinned slyly at the purple mass, his finger reaching out to stroke at it, making Dean jump then moan at the welcome pain.

Reaching up, Dean drew him back down so their lips could meet again as he babbled, "F-f-fuck, so good!  Missed you, missed this.  Didn't know how much I needed this.  The only one, only you!  God, I love you Seth!"

Sensing just how much Dean meant with his words, Seth slowed down, laying his head against his chest for a minute as he swore, "This right here is it D; you're the only one for me.  All of it, everything is worth it as long as we end up right here always!  I love you Dean, forever, I promise!"

Squeezing him tightly for a moment, Dean let out a sob as he shared, "I believe you; I really do.  Never letting you go again, I swear!  Show me baby, show me what I do to you," he urged.

Setting back up, Seth began to thrust again, picking up the pace, slamming his hips forward with urgency as his hands reached out and grasped Dean's cock between them, stroking him furiously, "Come for me D!"

It was all Dean needed as he flew over the edge, his cock exploding with a loud cry as his cum soaked Seth's hand and his own chest.

Dean's eyes glittered with lust as Seth's hand moved up to his mouth and he licked up Dean's cum as he continued to thrust inside of him.  Reaching up, Dean grasped his hips as he began to meet his thrusts with his own, "Come on Princess, I know you're right there!  Show me baby, show me who I belong to!"

Throwing his head back with a howl, Seth came hard, his body continuing to jerk as he came down from his climax, falling onto Dean with a satisfied sigh.

"Damn, I can't believe I almost gave this up!" Dean shared with amusement in his voice.

Seth giggled, "I'm glad you came to your senses!" he teased, pleased that they could finally joke about things again.

"You realize that they probably heard us, right?" Dean asked, his hand running up and down Seth's back again as they basked in the afterglow.

Seth blushed as he lifted his head up to stare at him, "Yeah, but I wasn't really thinking of that at the time."

Dean just shrugged, "I don't really give a fuck, but I know you do.  If you want, I can go down first and take the early brunt of their jokes."

Seth shook his head, "Fuck them!  If they want to tease us let them.  Nothing can bring me down today," he answered decisively.

Dean grinned, "I love when you get all firm and sure of yourself!"

Seth rolled his eyes, but leaned down for a kiss, "I'm sure of us," he stated, making Dean grin up at him in awe, "I love you," he shared once again.

"And that means everything to me babe," Seth shared.  "And I love you too."

Content to stay where they were at, the pair slowly drifted into a nap.

...

It was a couple of hours later when Seth felt himself stirring, the afternoon sun hitting the bed with a bit more force and making him groan.

Sighing, he began to move to go to the bathroom, realizing he was still inside of Dean.  Groaning, he attempted to detach himself, wincing as their attached skin pulled apart with a sting.

"Stop!" Dean snapped, pulling him back down, making Seth giggle, "D, I need to use the bathroom, so unless you're going to come with me, you have to let me go!"

Shrugging, Dean sat up, tossing Seth over his shoulder and carrying him to the bathroom as Seth gasped, "D, put me down!" he yelled.

Inside, he did just that, gesturing at the toilet, "Hurry up, I've got to go too!"

Shaking his head with feigned annoyance, Seth turned around and took care of his business before sliding to the sink and letting Dean do the same.

The second Dean's hands were clean, Seth was pulling him into his arms, "Good afternoon," he said cheerfully as he lay a emphatic kiss on his lips, pulling away before Dean could respond. "I think I'm ready for some food now.  Do you think maybe they're gone and we can slip down and grab something and make it back here before being disturbed?"

Dean's eyes lit up, "Maybe we drove them out and we have the place to ourselves for the evening," he shared hopefully.

Grabbing Seth's hand, they headed back into the bedroom and threw on some sweatpants and made their way downstairs.

They both jumped as Roman and Finn suddenly appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, grinning up at them, "Well, well, well, about time you boys decided to join us!" Roman teased.

Dean glared down at him as he pointed at him, "Say one word and I won't hesitate to remind you of all the interesting things I know about your sex life!" he warned.

Roman shrugged, "Wasn't planning on it Uce!  I'm happy for you; truly!  I'm glad that you've managed to get to this point.  Just you know, maybe try to keep it down next time we're in the house!"

"Ya!" Finn agreed.  "I don't need ta listen ta ya getting it on, especially since I'm not getting any of my own right now!  Although I do have ta give ya props Seth: the fact that ya could get Dean begging like that makes me rethink everything I though I knew about ya!"

Seth blushed, hiding his face in Dean's shoulder as Dean glared at Finn.  Turning back to Seth, Dean lifted his head, "Come on baby, let's grab something to eat and leave these two jerks to amuse themselves!"

Roman and Finn just laughed as the pair headed into the kitchen and Dean whipped them up some eggs and toast and grabbed some juice. 

As they headed past them again, Seth suddenly squared his shoulders and turned towards them, "As much as we've loved having you guys here, don't you think it's time that you went home to your family," he pointed at Roman.  "And you went home and figured out your own relationship with Bayley?  I'm sure Sami is missing his roomie too!" he turned to point at Finn.

Laughing, Roman shrugged, "Actually, I already booked a flight back home for tomorrow and Finn is heading back home tonight."

Staring at them suspiciously, Dean asked, "So you trust us alone again?"

Roman just grinned, "Have for awhile now, but I figured we'd all feel better if we waited a bit.  Seriously you guys, I'm glad that you're back on track."

Sharing a look, Dean and Seth turned and sat down their plates and glasses before turning back to their friends and pulling them into fierce hugs, "Thank you!" they shared.

Patting Dean's back, Roman answered, "Anytime Uce," as Finn reassured Seth that it was a pleasure to have been any type of help to him and Dean.

Switching, Dean grabbed Finn and ruffled his hair while Seth embraced Roman firmly, "Thank you for being the best friend he could ever have," he whispered to him.  "I'm so grateful we both have you in our lives."

"You're family, always will be," Roman returned as he stepped back.

Nodding at one another, the pair disappeared back upstairs with their food and drinks.  They headed back to bed and ate, setting aside the plates afterwards as they contemplated this turn of events.

Looking at one another thoughtfully, Dean then pulled him into his arms reassuringly, "It's all going to be okay Princess.  We're almost there and we're going to make it work!"

Seth nodded, "I know, but I've kind of gotten used to having them around, you know?"

Dean nodded back, "Yeah, I know what you mean, but it's going to be nice to have the place to ourselves again.  I can take you wherever I want again!" he winked at him, making Seth giggle.

They lay there for a bit, just enjoying the closeness until Seth gave a sigh, making Dean sit back and look at him worriedly, "What's wrong?" he asked.

Seth sighed, "As happy as I am right now, I'm dreading next week.  You're going to be back out on the road and then we have the court date at the end of the week when you get back.  I'm not ready for that!"

Dean shrugged, "Then we'll make sure we are.  There's nothing they can throw at us that can be any worse than what we've just gone through.  I'm going to do everything I need to do to get us to the altar baby.  If that means more therapy then that's what we'll do.  If that mean's sitting in the court room and listening to every skeleton in my closet thrown back at me, then I will deal with it.  You said earlier that it's all worth it to be here and I feel the same way Princess.  At the end of the day as long as you're in my arms I can deal with anything."

Seth answered with a passionate kiss that led to a heavy makeout session that ended with them curled up once again as they watched a movie and laid everything else aside.


	89. Chapter 89

"You two seem pretty happy today," Angela led with.  They were back for their weekly couple's counseling session and they had entered the room practically glowing, their hands tightly clasped.

Seth blushed at her words, dipping his head over into Dean's shoulder bashfully as Dean ruffled his hair and shared, "We fucked!" before throwing himself down into the seat, pulling Seth down next to him as Seth stared at him horrified.

Eyes twitching a bit in surprise, their therapist sat back, trying to compose herself before answering, "That's a pretty big step.  Do you want to talk about that?  Perhaps about the circumstances that led to you being ready to take that step or maybe how you feel now?"

Dean shrugged, "I was tired of seeing how hurt Seth was every time I pulled away from him.  We had a fight and he accused me of not wanting him anymore.  He thought I was tired of him and was going to move on like the others in his life have done to him before.  There was no way I could let him continue to believe that so I made myself face my own issues."

Finally getting over his embarrassment, Seth turned towards her, "He had a minute where he was in his head, seeing all the lies that his mind has been telling him about us and what happened, but I was able to get through to him and we pushed through it and we were able to connect again."

She nodded, "That's a pretty big breakthrough for you both.  How do you feel now?"

"I feel like we're stronger than ever," Seth shared.  "I'm still worried that something like this could happen again, but I think I know now that we can get through it so it doesn't scare me like it used to.  I think I finally get that there's nothing that would make Dean leave me."

"Never Princess," Dean reassured him, squeezing their still linked hands.  "Even at my lowest point when I thought I needed to leave to keep you safe, I couldn't quite make myself actually disappear."

Turning back to their therapist Dean went on to explain, "I've realized that this whole thing is one way to insure that Seth and I get to where we need to be.  I vowed that I'd do whatever it takes to make this work so whatever you or Dr. Atkins need me to do, I'm on board."

She nodded thoughtfully, "That's great, but you still haven't told me how you feel about having made love.  Did the act help banish the images and voices that have been in your head?"

Dean winced, "They're still there, but not as loud.  I know that I misread the whole situation between Seth and I, but that doesn't stop my mind from telling me that I hurt him."

Taking a deep breath, she decided it was finally time to broach the subject that she'd been gearing up to since the day they'd appeared in her office, "Dean, Seth, I think we've made a lot of progress since our first session.  I've learned a lot about both of you and I think you've learned a lot about one another.  I'm not sure I've ever met a stronger couple.  You've continuously faced one obstacle after another and have managed to come out on the other side again and again.  I'm proud of both of you," she shared, making the pair grin at one another.  "However," she began, making them both sit up straighter as they turned back towards her fearfully.  "However," she began again.  "I think there is something very important that can be done to help insure that these things don't keep happening.  You've taken the first few steps by opening up your communication and listening to one another and being patient, but I think it's time we talked about medication."

Seth gasped as he turned towards Dean, expecting him to explode, but he was surprised to find Dean staring at her thoughtfully as he stated, "Alright, what did you have in mind?"

...

The pair were quiet on the way home, their thoughts still on the session. 

Seth had listened as Angela shared that she and Dr. Atkins believed that Dean's depression, his bipolar disorder, could be helped with the right combination of meds. That they could not only cut out the voices and balance his emotions, but insure that he would be more fulfilled in his career and his relationship with Seth.

They had both been shocked when she'd turned to Seth and told him that they believed that he could benefit from a pharmaceutical treatment as well. 

Before Seth could protest, she explained that she, as well as Dr. Atkins, believed that Seth was battling his own form of depression and anxiety, which stemmed from his violent relationship with Patrick and his own shaky upbringing.

Sharing a helpless look with Dean, he was grateful when he stood up and dropped to his knees in front of him, reaching up to cup his cheeks as Dean shared, "I love you Princess and I promise no one will do anything that we don't both agree on."

Seth nodded shakily, "Al-alright."

Reassured, Dean sat back down as he asked, "If we agree to try this regimen, will this get back to the court?  If Seth's father and his friend get ahold of this information, they would use it to smear us."

Angela shook her head, "Anything that is discussed here and private medical records can't be forced out in court.  Both Dr. Atkins and I have agreed to testify in your favor, but we will only be answering generalized questions like if you've been coming to sessions regularly and if we feel that there's any credence to their accusations about you being the ones going after Patrick instead of the other way around.  They want to prove you were gaslighting him, which sent him over the edge, but I am fully prepared to testify that I've seen nothing in our sessions to indicate that either of you were at fault.  Naturally, we can't speculate on Patrick's state of mind, but we are fully prepared to speak on both of yours.  Anything that you allow us to share will be full game, but otherwise what happens in these four walls stays here."

Relieved, Seth spoke up, "Thank you.  I," he shared a look with Dean.  "I think we need a little time to think about the meds, but we will think about it, I promise."

Sighing, Seth wiggled in his seat once again as he thought it over.  Turning he looked at Dean's profile as his lover navigated the afternoon traffic, "D?" he questioned softly.

His eyes met his briefly, "Yeah baby?"

"Are you really okay with trying drugs?"

Dean shrugged, "Am I comfortable with it, no, but I swore that I'd keep a open mind about things moving forward and that's what I'm going to do. I don't like the idea of being dependent on meds, but what if what they say is true and it helps me become the person I want to be instead of this messed up freak that my childhood made me?"

"You're not a freak!" Seth immediately jumped in, reaching over for his hand.  He gave another sigh, "I don't like the idea of being a zombie, but you're right, if there's a chance that this is what will work for us, then we need to at least try it."

Dean nodded, throwing him a quick smile as he pulled into their driveway, "I agree.  Okay, enough talk about all of this!  We've got a session with Dr. Atkins at the end of the week and we can get a better idea of things then, but until then, let's focus on the good.  We're here together and we've got the whole weekend before I have to hit the road."

Seth grinned, "What did you have in mind?"

Dean shrugged as he innocently stated, "I don't know what you mean!"

Seth's grin grew wider, sure that Dean was up to something, "D!" he pleaded.

Dean just laughed as he said, "Maybe we should head inside and just see what happens."

Seth's excitement grew as Dean winked at him.  He hurriedly got out of the car and bounded up to the house ahead of Dean, who was grinning at him fondly.

Seth unlocked the door, immediately being greeted by the barking dogs.  Seth began to laugh as he realized that each of them had a small plastic red rose stuck in their collars.  Leaning down he pulled them out as he turned back to Dean with a giggle, "Really?"

Dean shrugged, "Look in the petals," he urged.

Seth did just that, pulling out two folded up papers.  Opening them, he was greeted with two messages.

**I love you Princess.  You make me happier than I could have ever imagined and I intend to show you that every day of the rest of our lives starting with the trail I've left for you, well with your friend's help that is.**

**We begin with the red rose.  I already know you know that it represents the love that we have for one another, but it also is a symbol of the romance that is to come.  Blue has the lighter of the pair, but Kevin is sporting the darker of the two.  That one has a deeper meaning: it represents the sorrow that we've gone through and the deep regret that I have for putting us through all of this.  You'll find the next stop on our journey where we shared our first kiss.**

Eyes wide, Seth ran to the porch, laughing as he saw the pink rose tied to the post Dean had pushed him against before they'd even began their first date.  Grabbing it, his eyes eagerly devoured the new message.

**From that first glimpse I was hooked baby.  I wanted to kiss you then, but I was afraid you'd punch me.  Then you opened the door in those tight jeans of yours and I couldn't resist.  The second our lips touched that was it: we were meant to be and I just hoped you felt the same.  When we were at the park and you told me that you wanted to be with me too, I thought my heart stopped.  I spent all night replaying it on my end, not able to sleep, but then you invited me over and while you worked, I spent my time drinking in the sight of you...which brings us to the next location ;)**

Holding the note to his chest, Seth gave a happy sigh.  Dean had obviously put a lot of thought into this just to make him smile and Seth was going to cherish every moment of it.  Giggling, he set out for the next spot on Dean's list.

 


	90. Chapter 90

Six notes and six roses later, Seth was making his way to the basement where, in Dean's words, they'd manage to salvage their connection with one another when Seth came to him after his nightmare.

Bouncing happily, Seth made his way down the stairs and to the couch where he found his next clue and a peach rose that Seth already knew symbolized gratitude.

By the time he'd come back into the house from the porch, Dean and their pets had conveniently disappeared. leaving Seth to follow Dean's trail alone, his anticipation of the end of the journey growing more with every step. 

Each time he read Dean's thoughtful words, he had to hold himself back from letting out a flood of emotional tears.  He still didn't quite understand what he'd done to deserve Dean's appearance in his life, but he'd long ago gave up questioning it and believed that for better or worse, he and Dean were destined to be together.

Grinning, Seth picked up the latest clue and began to read.

**Well Princess, looks like you've managed to almost make it to the end of your hunt.  This will lead you to the tenth and final stop where I've got a surprise waiting for you.  So why don't you hurry up and come find out what that is!  Meet me where you let your inhibitions go free and gave me the seduction of my life.**

Seth frowned as he tried to puzzle out the clue.  All of the rest had been pretty up front and relatively easy to figure out, but he wasn't quite sure what Dean was referring to this time.  Over their time together, the pair had made love in pretty much every square inch of the house.

Stumped, Seth stood there for a moment as he deduced that in his time moving around he hadn't once ran into Dean or their animals so he had to be outside the house somewhere.  Cocking his head as he thought about it, Seth's face suddenly lit up as he deduced what Dean was talking about.

There was really only one place outside of the house that Seth had managed to set aside his uneasiness and throw himself headfirst into giving Dean everything he wanted and more.

Laughing, Seth made his way upstairs and to the back door, his mind conjuring up images of his risque pole dance on the screened-in porch. 

Dean's eyes had been glued to him the whole way and the minute that Seth had let Dean out of his bonds, he'd been all over him, driving them both to the best climax of their lives.

Sure enough as Seth exited onto the porch, he was greeted by a smiling Dean, who was holding onto another plastic rose, this one green.

"Hi!" Seth shared enthusiastically, making Dean's grin grow wider, "Hello yourself baby!"

Dean leaned over to present him with the latest rose, "This one symbolizes rebirth.  In a way, this week has been a renewal of everything that we've been and will be to one another.  That's what this was all about: I wanted to remind you of where we came from, but I also wanted to show you where we're going," as he spoke he stepped aside to reveal a full table set with Seth's favorite foods from Marco's and a vase full of real flowers to go along with the bouquet of artificial ones he'd collected.

Giggling, Seth moved forward as Dean drew his chair out for him, "How do you keep roping Marco into this stuff?"

Dean shrugged exaggeratedly, "How do I keep roping our friends?" he countered.  "Finn and Sami set all of this up and didn't even ask for anything in return."

Seth grinned as Dean sat down across from him, "I think they're just happy that we're not giving the other one the cold freeze anymore.  It had to be hell trying to referee between us."

Dean nodded, "Yeah, we've got great friends.  So, how about we eat this delicious meal that Marco has provided us with?"

Seth happily agreed as they dug in, talking quietly throughout.

Later, after they were both full, Seth pushed away the plates and sat back with a sigh of happiness, "That was amazing!"

Dean laughed, "Well that was just a small part of the surprise."

Seth sat up eagerly, "Tell me!" he demanded.

Reaching over to take his hand, Dean shared, "I booked us for a weekend in Moline.  We can leave now and be checked in before the sun goes down."

Seth's face fell, "The lawyer is coming over to go over some stuff with us.  I thought it would be a good idea to get a better idea of what questions are going to be thrown at us next week."

Dean shrugged, "So we meet with the lawyer and then we head out.  We'll still have all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday."

Seth's beamed at him, "We're leaving Monday?"

"Yep," Dean answered.  "My flight out isn't until 1 so we should have plenty of time to eat breakfast and get back here.  I just thought it would be nice to get away plus we can figure out the wedding stuff while we're there."

Seth suddenly stood up and flung himself into Dean's lap, his arms clinging around his neck as he jumped around excitedly, "Are we taking the boys and our girl?" he asked.

Dean just laughed as he wound his arms around him tighter, keeping him from falling off, "Yes baby, our babies are coming with us."

Turning to the dogs who were out running around the yard and Autumn, who was curled up against the table soaking in the sun, Seth yelled, "Did you hear that?  We're all going on vacation!"

The dogs gave a bark at him, not sure what the commotion was about, but happy when one of their dads was, but Autumn just opened one eyeball to glare at him for disturbing her precious sleep, making Seth snort, which drew a grin to Dean's face, "Dork," he said affectionately as he nuzzled against him.

Poking him, Seth suddenly grinned slyly at him as he stated, "You know, the lawyer won't be here for another hour and a half.  I think I have a idea about how we can pass the time."

Dean's eyes lit up as he asked, "And what would that be Princess?"

Seth just grinned as he slid off of his lap and to his knees, reaching up to unzip and unbutton Dean's jeans.  Dean sat up a bit to help him slide them off, revealing that he was currently going commando, his already swollen cock bursting out, making Seth moan as he watched a drop of precum make its way down from the top.

Licking his lips, Seth sat forward, ready to enjoy his dessert.

...

Later, after Dean had repaid the favor, the pair had cleaned up their mess and went upstairs to finish packing what Dean hadn't already done behind Seth's back. 

By the time Seth's lawyer arrived, their bags were ready to go and already in the car and the dog's leashes and Autumn's cat carrier were waiting by the door.

They spent the next couple of hours going over all kinds of scenarios as the lawyer prepared them for every possibility.  By the time he left, they felt a bit better about the whole thing and a bit more confident that they could pull this off.

They rounded up their pets and hit the road for Moline, arriving at the inn in the dark, checking in and heading to their room.

They quickly unpacked and then took the dogs for a walk, both eager to see Blue's reaction to the place.  Snuggling, they grinned as the dogs stopped to sniff every square inch of the path.

Breathing in deeply, Seth snuggled up against Dean as they cuddled up on a bench, letting the dogs run around for a bit.

"Glad to be back?" Dean asked.

Seth nodded, his answer mumbled against Dean's chest, "Yeah, I was beginning to think we'd never make it back here."

Dean sighed as he squeezed him tighter, "I'm sorry I ever thought about leaving you.  I really thought that being away from me would keep you safe."

Seth sat up, his eyes glowing under the streetlight, "Yeah, well that was a stupid idea!  You are what makes me feel safe and happy and taken care of.  I dreaded the idea that you wanted to take that away from me."

Dean's eyes dropped guiltily, "I know it was.  There's no way I could have survived being without you."

"Likewise, so let's never put either of us in a situation where we have to find out how true those words are!" Seth stated emphatically, making Dean chuckle as he moved in for a kiss and sarcastically sputtered out, "Yes sir!"

Silence fell over them once again as they continued to watch the dogs chase one another around.  Seth was so caught up that he jumped when Dean suddenly began to talk.

"There's something I need to tell you Princess," his words rang out in the night as his suddenly trembling body made Seth lean back to look at him.  One look at his face and Seth knew he wasn't ready to hear what Dean had to share.

 


	91. Chapter 91

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a little longer to get this one out due to the flu, but it's finally ready. Hopefully, it clears up a few inconsistencies that were brought to my attention. Thanks so much for the support and especially for all the input and some great ideas BelieveThat :) Also thanks to Marie for your own insights.

Dean's pronouncement hung in the air, creating a uncomfortable space as Dean stared straight ahead and Seth drew himself into a corner of the bench, preparing himself for whatever Dean had to share.

Seth's mind immediately went to the worst case scenario as he battled against thoughts of Dean leaving him.  He knew that couldn't be true; not after everything that Dean had done for him this week. 

Dean was willingly trying his best to make all of this work and he'd pushed against his own fears in order to allow himself to be intimate with Seth.  And then there was today's scavenger hunt and the way he'd gone out of his way to make sure Seth knew how much he meant to him.

No, Dean couldn't possibly be trying to cut him loose!  Taking a deep breath, Seth made himself break the silence, "D, you know you can tell me anything.  Please, just say what you need to say."

Taking his own moment to collect himself, Dean squared his shoulders and made himself look at his fiancé.  Seeing Seth's position, he gave a little growl, angry with himself for causing him any panic or hurt. 

Quickly, Dean scooted over so he could reach out and pull Seth back into his arms, gently stroking through his hair in reassurance, "Sorry I checked out on you there for a minute Princess.  This isn't easy for me and I'm scared of how you're going to react."

Trembling, Seth turned around in his arms, settling into his lap, "Unless you're trying to tell me that you're leaving me, there's nothing you can say that will make me feel any differently about this; about us," Seth made his own proclamation.

Dean rolled his eyes at him, "We already established that that's never happening!  No, this isn't about us, not really, but it is about trust between us.  I've never willingly lied to you about anything, but there has been something that I've held back and I don't want you to feel like I'm unreliable or that you can't count on me because of it."

Seth just stared at him in confusion, "Just tell me."

Dean's body shuddered as he began to talk, causing Seth's hand to rub up and down his back, hopefully letting him know that he had nothing to worry about.

"Today when the words bipolar disorder were brought up you seemed surprised," Dean started.

Seth shrugged, "I hadn't really thought about it before then; that all of this could have a legitimate reason for it."

Dean nodded, "I know and that's my fault.  See, it wasn't a surprise for me.  That is, it wasn't something that I didn't already know," he reached up to take one of Seth's hands in his own, needing to ground himself.  "I was always different from the others around me even when I was a kid.  Everything was all or nothing for me.  I was always too happy or too sad or too angry.  I couldn't concentrate in class and instead of finding out what was wrong with me, my teachers thought I was just stupid and they kept passing me on just to get rid of me.  My parents could have cared less so I just got continuously punished for all of my fights and they ignored me otherwise.  I already told you that my dad exited the picture pretty early on and then there was a swinging door of men that my mom hooked up with.  Some of them pretended I didn't even exist and the others left their own bruises on me..." he trailed off as Seth leaned into him, nuzzling against his shoulder.  Taking another deep breath, Dean continued, "One of them got my mom hooked on drugs and after that, I was basically on my own, but that didn't mean that my mom's problems didn't touch me, just the opposite actually.  That's how I got involved with Lily's dad.  My mom owed one of his guys money and they came for me to pay the debt, but he took a liking to me and I ended up with a long term job with him after I paid back what she owed.  You'd think I would have known not to let myself sample the product after watching my mom, but I still let myself get hooked," he shared bitterly with a weak laugh.

"Hey!" Seth cut him off, setting back to look at him as he squeeze his hand, "You were completely alone dealing with all of that.  It's not surprising that you would have tried to deaden your feelings that way."

Dean smiled faintly at him, pleased at his support, "Maybe, but it was a lot more than that.  When I was in high school, I had a guidance counselor who actually cared unlike everyone else.  He could see that there was more to the way I was acting out and he sent me to the school psychiatrist who quickly diagnosed me as being bipolar. My emotions were constantly all over the place and I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows on a constant basis.  I would go days without sleeping and then just crash for days, unable to get out of bed.  At the time I'd discovered alcohol and I spent more time drunk than not.  One night I died my hair pink on a whim.  Another morning I woke up to find that I'd not only skipped out on my pizza delivery job, but I'd taken the money I'd saved and blown it on a motorcycle that I didn't even know how to ride and judging by the dents on its side, I'd already crashed somewhere.  I can't tell you how many times I woke up somewhere I didn't know with someone I'd never seen before, both girls and boys.  One minute I'd have all these ideas about what I wanted to do with my life and I'd feel invincible and the next I'd feel like such a failure and I'd think about how I could end it all.  I even tried a couple of times, mixing pills and alcohol and once I even started to slit my wrists, but something pulled me back at the last minute."

Dean's words made Seth sob as his heart plummeted.  He'd known that Dean's childhood had been rough, but he had no idea that it had gotten to that point.  He moved back into his arms as Dean's hands moved back up to his head, stroking through his hair once again, "Shh Princess, it's alright.  I'm here and I'm okay.  You make it all okay!"

Trembling, Seth lay a kiss against his cheek as he said the only thing that mattered, "I love you."

Dean let out his own sob as he turned Seth's head towards his own so his lips could take his in a firm kiss.  Pulling back, he gave Seth a little smile, "I love you too baby."

Sharing another kiss, Dean suddenly pushed Seth back as he rose to his feet and offered him his hand, "Why don't we move this inside?" he asked.

Seth let him pull him up as they called the dogs back to their side and headed into the inn and upstairs.  Back in their room, they got them fed and made sure Autumn was taken care of before wordlessly getting ready for bed. 

While Seth was finishing up, Dean called downstairs ordering some of the tea that he knew Seth liked and some dessert for them.  Looking up, he found Seth standing at the bottom of the bed, staring at him nervously.

Grinning, Dean reached his hands out to him once again, pulling him down onto the bed with him as he wrapped him up in his arms. 

He'd started this whole thing out unsure if he was about to lose Seth because of his own omissions but somewhere along the way he'd been reminded of just who Seth was and who they are together and he was confident that they could get through this.

Before he could continue, a knock interrupted him.  Sighing, he got up to get his order, returning with the tray and making them both a cup of tea before handing Seth his piece of strawberry pie.

Seth's face lit up at the sign of the treat as he reached up for him, drawing him down next to him and cuddling up to him as he held a bite up for Dean to try. 

Laughing, Dean let him feed him, working their way through both slices before he let himself get back on track, "Princess, I need to get it all off my chest now before I decide I can't do it," he shared, looking at him expectantly.

Seth just nodded as he pushed aside the tray and set their cups down on the side table.  Turning back, he slid under the covers and held them up for Dean to do the same.  Content, he slid over so he could lay on Dean's chest in their favorite position, "Alright, continue."

Not wasting a moment, Dean let the words spill out, "After my diagnosis, they tried to put me on meds, but it wasn't long before I stopped them because I didn't like how they made me feel.  It's ironic actually because I didn't like the numbing effect that they had on me, but instead I chose to numb myself with alcohol and later the drugs.  Then when I got clean, I threw myself into hardcore wrestling, which allowed me to work off a lot of my anger and frustrations and helped curb some of my highs.  I put my body through hell every night to create the perfect show.  When I finally made it to FCW, I fucked up and slept with one of the guy's wives and then I showed up so high that I couldn't even finish my match.  Dusty and Regal pulled me aside and basically told me to get it together or I was never going to make it.  That's when Roman approached them about doing a program together and we started to become friends.  No one really liked him either because of his family so he was looking for someone to help him hone his skills and train with and we just clicked.  I decided that I couldn't let my disease screw with what I'd worked towards all of my life so I found a new therapist and went back on my meds.  Things would work out for awhile and then I'd miss a dose and remember what it felt like to be free of them and I'd chuck them and binge out for days on drinks and sex and bar fights.  Roman would track me down and get me back on track and then the cycle would start all over again.  I've never told anyone about the depression.  Roman knows, but we've never actually had a conversation about it.  He seems to always know when I'm not on the meds though and he's always around more often and checking in more.  He always subtly reminds me that I need to take care of myself.  I guess I didn't ever want anyone to know because it makes me look weak."

"Even me?" Seth asked sadly.

Dean sighed, "By the time I felt comfortable sharing it with you, I didn't know how to approach it and I felt it would do more harm than good.  I really thought I'd gotten it under control.  I've had small incidents of insomnia and little bouts of bad thoughts, but nothing prolonged.  I missed a couple of doses when you were shot and I think it just threw everything off.  The depression just kept getting worse and worse ever since and instead of getting the help I needed, I pushed it aside."

"Because you were too busy trying to protect me!" Seth snapped, sitting up abruptly.  "I brought nothing but stress into your life and then I pushed you into exposing your past to everyone."

"No!" Dean quickly moved after him, wrapping him in his arms before he could get away.  "None of this is on you Seth!  This is all my problem.  I'm the one with the disorder and I'm the one who chose to keep it from you.  If you'd known, you could have been watching out for the signs.  Fuck, if I'd ever once had a honest conversation with Roman I could have avoided a lot of trouble that I've caused everyone in my life.  I understand if you can't trust me now," having said his piece, Dean dropped his arms, giving him his freedom, but Seth just turned around and launched himself back into his arms, driving Dean backwards onto the bed, his arms automatically coming up to cradle Seth to him.

They lay there, drawing comfort in one another's arms as Seth circled through his time with Dean in his head, quickly picking up signs that he'd missed.  The voices, Dean's occasional mood swings and trouble sleeping, how strongly Roman had acted towards him when they'd met.  Clearly, he'd believed that Dean had picked him up at a bar during one of his bad periods. 

"I'm sorry," Seth shared quietly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Dean returned.

"I should have seen it, but I was so caught up in my own stuff."

"Yeah, trying to keep everyone safe from your psychotic ex and then trying to deal with my breakdown!" Dean refused to let him blame himself for any of this.  "I'm the one who's sorry.  I should have let you know from the beginning.  It wasn't fair to keep you in the dark."

Seth shrugged helplessly, "I still should have seen it, but if you can overlook that, I can overlook your omission.  You were scared and if anyone understands that, it's me.  For the record though, I don't think any of this makes you look weak, if anything it makes me even more proud of how strong you are!  I don't understand how I've never seen you take your meds though."

Dean sighed, "I take them with my vitamins in the morning.  You had no reason to think otherwise.  But taking pills doesn't make me strong."

Seth shook his head, "I disagree.  Having the strength to admit that you need help, to do what you need to do to stay on track is as strong as it gets!  You forget that I was there Dean at the worst of it, I saw the battle you faced.  You're amazing!" he drew back so he could look Dean in the eye, keeping the contact until he saw Dean begin to accept his words.

"God, I love you so much Princess!" Dean sat up, pressing their foreheads together.

"I know D, you prove it all the time.  It took me so long to believe in this; believe in us, but I do babe.  I love you with everything in me and I have confidence that we can make this work.  We've already gotten through so much.  Get through this court case and we're home free!" Seth beamed at him.

Dean nodded, "Yeah, we've got this!" Seth laughed as Dean moved around, rolling him beneath him as he leaned down to give him a frenzied kiss.  He moved down to nip across his face and down his throat.

Arching his back, Seth gasped as Dean's lips trailed across his chest, working their way lower.  Before he could get too lost in the sensations his lover was drawing from him, Seth gasped, "What about my tea?"

Sitting up, Dean's face loomed over his own as he flashed his teeth at him wolfishly, "Fuck the tea!" he said, winking at him as he moved back down, Seth's giggles music to his ears.


	92. Chapter 92

It was mid-afternoon before they began to stir, only waking because the dogs decided to team up and jump on the bed to get their attention.

Laughing, Seth sat up telling him that he'd take care of them.  Rising, he hit the bathroom and threw on his clothes from the day before to take them outside.

Stretching, Dean rose to take care of his own business before filling the dog's bowls with their food and doing the same for Autumn, who was following him around whining at him.

Satisfied, he called downstairs to order a mix of breakfast and lunch foods that he thought Seth would enjoy.  By the time Seth and the dogs were back, the food was also arriving, Seth taking the tray on his way in.

"We're back babe and the food is here," he pronounced as he stepped into the room as the dogs immediately ran to their food.  Seth grinned, "I see you've been busy."

Dean shrugged, "I figured I'd get that done so you could come back to bed.  I'm not ready to get up yet."

Seth nodded, "I like that idea," he quickly stripped back down to his boxers before joining Dean on the bed as they dug into their food, Seth giggling as he saw the assortment that Dean had ordered.

Dean just winked at him, "I wasn't sure if you'd want breakfast or lunch so why not just get both?"  Seth just shook his head at  him as they polished off everything on the tray, throwing a few scraps to the dogs.

Dean made a move to get up, but Seth waved him off, rising to his feet and pushing the tray outside the door before hurrying back over to the bed, surprising Dean as he pounced on him.

"Whoa!  Well hello there Princess," Dean adjusted himself so Seth was now laying snugly against his side.

Looking up at Seth, Dean was almost blinded by the bright smile on his fiancé's face. 

He'd already woken up feeling lighter than he had in years, but seeing just how happy Seth was at the moment just made things even better.  Returning his smile, Dean drew him down as he nipped at his lips teasingly, "I was thinking we could stay in bed most of the day and maybe go out this evening somewhere?"

Seth nodded eagerly, "Works for me.  I just want to soak up this time together.  We deserve a little peace and quiet!"

Dean chuckled bitterly, "Ain't that the truth!  We've more than earned it."

Still smiling, Seth let his head come down to rest against Dean's chest, "How are you feeling this morning?" he asked hesitantly.

His hand moving up to cup Seth's head lovingly, Dean took a moment to compose his thoughts, "It's like this big weight that I've been lugging around for so long is just miraculously gone.  I never imagined that just speaking the words could have that big of a effect, but here we are," he tried to explain.

"It was a heavy load to carry for so long babe.  Your body and your mind are just telling you that it's okay to let someone else help you bare it," Seth lay a kiss above his heart.

Dean grinned at his words as his arms tightened around him, "Thank you for understanding.  I'd prepared myself for every possibility, but I never imagined that you'd just accept it; accept me.  I'm sorry that I didn't have more faith in you."

Seth shrugged, "We've both had our moments.  We've had a lot of legitimate reasons to not trust in anyone."

"Well if there's one thing that has come out of all of this, I hope that it proves to us both that this is legitimate.  We've seen one another at our worst and we're still here together, stronger than ever," Dean's arms squeezed him once again.

"We're going to get our forever," Seth confirmed, nuzzling against his neck, his hands beginning to move through Dean's chest hair, giving him goosebumps as his lips began to follow his trail.

Dean moaned as Seth's lips moved across his nipples, "That we are baby.  Fuck, that feels good!"

Seth grinned as he nipped lightly at them, his hand making its way down to Dean's already swollen cock.  He laughed as Dean groaned when he let go. 

Leaning down, he lay a kiss on his forehead, "Give me a second, I'll be right back."  Standing, he headed over to his bag, digging around before coming back over with the infamous pink handcuffs and a tube of lube. 

He giggled as Dean's eyes lit up as he held his arms out to him eagerly.  With no headboard to work with, he lay Dean's arms out above him as he locked them together.  Staring down at him, Seth's eyes softened as he spoke, "Can I make love to you babe?"

Unable to reach out for him, Dean urged him down to him, "Kiss me!" he demanded, which Seth was quickly happy to oblige him with.

As the kiss ended, Dean finally responded to his question, "Always baby, but I like the idea of you doing it here where I first realized how good it could be.  No one has ever made me feel like you do Princess!"

Seth teared up as he shared, "Same here.  You giving yourself to me and letting me show you how much I love you was one of the best nights of my life.  I love the fact that we can both share that both ways and I'm more than ready to keep making love to you and being made love to by you for the rest of our lives, starting with right now.  I wanted you in cuffs so there are no distractions while I love every single inch of you!"

Fighting back his own tears, Dean just nodded, "Love you," he managed to get out.

"Love you too babe," Seth sunk back down on top of him as he went back to kissing, rubbing and touching every part of Dean he could reach.

Rolling him over, Seth lavished attention to his backside, eventually stopping to open Dean up with his tongue, relishing in the delightful noises he was drawing from his eager lover.

Satisfied that he was ready, Seth tapped Dean's ass as he asked, "Like this or on your back?"

"Why not both?" Dean turned to smirk back at him, making Seth roll his eyes at him.

Shrugging, Seth reached up, pulling Dean's hips back towards his as he placed himself at his entrance, reaching over to throw some lube on his cock and swirling a couple of fingers inside of him before slowly pushing in.

Once he bottomed out, he stopped to give them both a second to adjust and calm down before slowly drawing out and back in. 

Satisfied that Dean was good to go, he began to pick up the pace, his hands finding a tight purchase on his waist as he helped Dean stay perched on his knees.

Grinning at the noises he was drawing from Dean's mouth, Seth found himself unable to hold back as he let forth a string of rambling thoughts, "Love the fact that you let me do this for you, that you let me see you in a way that no one else gets to see!  You're always so damn tight.  You look so fucking hot restrained like that and accepting everything I have to give you.  Fuck, just look how your ass was just made for me!  I'm not going to be able to last much longer."

Hearing his normally quiet lover's dirty talk as Seth's hand moved to envelope him was enough to throw Dean over the edge as he arched his back, shooting his release over Seth's fist and across the wall behind the bed.

Laughing in amusement, Seth was suddenly pulling out and flipping him over, his hands moving up to grasp Dean's restrained ones in his own as he drove back inside of him, "Think I can get you off again?" he teased.

Dean just moaned in response, his hips unconsciously rising up to follow Seth's movements, "Keep talking like that and it won't be a problem!" he managed to get out, pleased when he drew one of Seth's infamous laughter-filled snorts.

After that, it was just a round of moans and gasps as they engaged in their familiar act of love, their bodies knowing the right moves to make to draw the most pleasure from their partner. 

Even without the use of his hands, Dean still managed to maneuver himself so he could use his mouth on his partner, his teeth gently tugging on Seth's swollen nipples before moving up to latch onto his shoulder and up to his throat, leaving a trail of red marks along the way.

True to his word, it didn't take long for Seth to work Dean back up, his cock twitching to life once again as Seth drove them into the final stretch.  Neither spared a thought for their neighbors as the bed pounded into the wall and they shouted out their climaxes.

After catching their breath and freeing Dean from the cuffs, Seth pulled out and went to grab a washrag, quickly cleaning them both up as well as the wall and the sheets as best as he could before sliding back onto the bed to cuddle up.

"You should feel honored Princess: no one has ever gotten me off with just their voice before!" Dean pronounced, his arms wrapping Seth up tightly against him.

Sitting up, Seth looked down at him, his cheeks tinged red, "Really?" he asked shyly, making Dean grin.

"Yeah baby, really.  You're already the hottest thing I've ever seen, but now you're the hottest thing I've ever heard too," Dean winked at him, laughing when Seth buried his head into his shoulder.

Still grinning to himself, Dean drifted off with thoughts of how he could get Seth to lose control like that more often.

...

After their nap, they spent the rest of the afternoon curled up with their animals channel surfing before heading downstairs for dinner, chatting a bit with some of the other guests and catching up with their hosts.

Dean was in the middle of asking about their courtyard weddings when he looked over and caught the look of adoration coming his way from his fiancé. 

Raising a eyebrow at him, he turned back and finished his conversation before turning back to Seth and asking if he was ready to leave. 

It was Seth's turn to be confused when Dean suddenly left him standing in the lobby as he headed to the desk and talked to the concierge before coming back to take his hand once again, leading him back upstairs.

Once back in their room, they turned to one another, both talking over the other as they asked what was up with the other one.

"Jinx!" they giggled in unison.

Smiling, Dean led him over to the couch as he shared, "I wanted to see if he could recommend any clubs downtown. i was thinking we could get a drink somewhere and do a little dancing.  Our last time out kind of got ruined so I thought maybe we could replace that memory with a better one."

Seth's eyes dropped at the mention of that fateful night, but he quickly recovered, looking back up with a smile, "Sounds good to me."

Dean giggled, "I can't believe I'm willingly heading to a club.  What have you done to me?"

Seth stuck his tongue out at him, "It's not like I'm exactly a club goer either babe.  We had some fun that night though, didn't we?"

Dean just nodded, reaching out to take his hands reassuringly, "Yeah, we did and I love any chance I get to hold you in my arms.  So what do you say, ready to let loose for a bit?"

"Can't wait!" Seth shared.  "And as for me, I was just enjoying listening to you talk about our wedding so matter-of-factly.  I guess just hearing you getting details just brought it home that we're really going to do this; that you really want to do that with me."

Dean reached out for him, drawing him over into his lap as he lay a kiss on his forehead, "Of course I do!  You're the only one I want Princess."

Seth beamed at him, "I know, but it was just nice to get more confirmation of that.  I love you D and I can't wait to start the rest of our lives together!"

Dean's lips met his in a kiss that desperately tried to convey everything he was feeling in that moment, happy when Seth seemed to understand him, meeting him with the same intensity.

It was a long while before they managed to get themselves together enough to get up and dress appropriately for the club. As they moved around one another in the bathroom, Seth's eyes met Dean's in the mirror as he shook out his pill bottles, taking his anxiety medicine and his vitamins.

Sliding up behind him, Seth slid his arms around his waist as he rested his head on his shoulder, "I was just wondering something.  You said you've never told anyone about your diagnosis, but how are you getting through the drug tests at work?"

Dean's eyes met his again as he shot him a reassuring grin, "We had to give them a list of any meds that we may be on so they know about them.  Like Roman, no one has ever asked me about them so I've never volunteered anything.  I'm sure I'm not the only one on stuff like that so I guess it's not a big deal.  I'm just lucky that I've never gone off the deep end at work.  I told you that Ro covered for me when I had a panic attack in the ring, didn't I?"

Seth nodded, "Yeah, you did.  I've always been glad that Ro's out there with you to watch your back, but I'm more grateful to him than ever now."

Dean sighed, resting his head against Seth's, "He's a saint.  The best friend I've ever had and could ever have and probably don't deserve."

Seth poked him in the side, making him jump, "You deserve all of the good things in your life including Roman's friendship babe.  I refuse to listen to you run yourself down anymore D!  So you've got a disorder that a number of people deal with everyday.  That doesn't make you any different from anyone else, it just means that the chemicals in your brain get a little mixed up sometimes.  If anything, it just makes you a stronger person than most," he lay a kiss to his cheek, making Dean blush.

"I love you," Dean whispered.

"I love you beyond reason," Seth returned, giving him another squeeze before backing away to finish getting ready.

Meeting at the front door, they took a moment to admire the view of the other in their dress pants and tight-fitting shirts before calling over the dogs.

They took them for a quick walk and then Dean went to get the car while Seth took them back upstairs and made sure they and Autumn were fed before heading out to join Dean where he'd pulled up in front.

Taking a deep breath, his heart stuttering a bit at the thought of their last night out, Seth prepared himself for the evening to come.  It was time to move on from all of that pain and the hurt and concentrate on the here and the now.


	93. Chapter 93

Although not as visibly nervous as Seth, Dean was freaking out on the inside as they pulled up in front of the club. 

Besides dinner, they hadn't been out in public together since the "incident" and he was praying that nothing would happen to fuck up their evening again.

Trying to keep his breathing under control, he turned off the car and prepared to get out. 

Instead, he found himself with a handful of his fiancé who had practically launched himself across the console and into his lap.

Seth didn't give a damn about the steering wheel digging into his side, he was just concerned with making sure Dean was okay.  He'd seen a flash of something come across his lover's face and he instantly recognized a oncoming panic attack.

As Seth's hands rubbed up and down his back reassuringly, Dean used Seth's heartbeat to focus as he regulated his breathing to his own, quickly heading off his rising anxiety.

Pulling back, he smiled at Seth, "Thanks Princess!"

Seth smiled back, reaching out to run his hand across Dean's cheek, "I figured you were as nervous as I am.  Guess it's hard not to have some bad flashbacks, right?"

Dean nodded, "I don't want anything to screw this weekend up," he tried to explain.  "I'm done letting my fucked up head mess with us!"

Seth continued to grin at him as he snuggled back up against him, "I'm pretty sure it was both of us who attributed to that so how about we both agree that no matter how many idiots we run into that we won't give them the satisfaction of taking anything they say to heart?  The only opinions that matter are ours and those we consider family."

Dean laughed, "Easy to say, but a bit harder to do, but I promise to try baby.  You're right: no one else matters though," he lay a gentle kiss on Seth's irresistible lips, giggling when Seth's hands reached up to keep him from pulling away for a bit.

Feeling more relaxed, he pulled back as he held his hand out to Seth, "Come on, let's do this," he stated, making Seth's face light up as he squeezed back before pulling away to exit the car.

Meeting around the front, Dean immediately pulled him back to his side as they began to walk inside.

...

Dean roared with laughter as he watched Seth turn away one woman after another as he made his way back to him from the bar with their drinks. 

Dean's laughter reached him as this time a man appeared next to him, his hand resting on Seth's arm. 

As Seth snapped at the man to back off, he finally made it back as he slammed the drinks down and slid back into their booth, "Haha, very funny!" he growled.

In between his giggles, Dean managed to get out a few words, "...s'just so may of them...I mean we were worried about dealing with my fans...they were all over you!"

"Yeah, apparently my ring is a big turn-on!" Seth rolled his eyes.  "Then every time I mentioned that my husband wouldn't appreciate them hitting on me, they proceeded to offer a possible threesome!"

That just made Dean laugh harder, his whole body hunched over as he buried his face in the seat, shoulders shaking.

Under the table, Seth sent his foot straight at Dean, kicking him in the leg, "I hate you!" he swore.

Dean's head popped back up as he beamed at him, "No you don't, you love me!"

Seth glared at him again, "You're lucky I do!"

Reaching over to take his hand, Dean tried to calm himself down, "Sorry baby, but you have to admit that if the situations were reversed, you'd be taking pleasure in it as well."

Seth pouted at him, 'You know most people would be jealous in this situation.  What happened to that possessive streak of yours?"

Dean squeezed his hand as his grin softened, "Those bitches can strike out all night as far as I'm concerned: they can't have you because you're going home with me!  I trust you 100% and watching you turn them down again and again was, I have to admit, a bit of a stroke to my ego.  It's hard to get jealous when I already know the outcome!"

Seth's head ducked as he tried to hide his own rising smile, but Dean had already picked it up, leaning over to poke at him, "Too late Princess, I know when I've amused you.  You know that I'm right!"

Looking back up, Seth stuck his tongue out at him before responding, "Maybe you are, but you're still a bastard!"

Dean puffed out his chest proudly, "Got that right!"

"God, you are so strange!" Seth declared.  "It's a good thing that I like that," he let his voice drop sensually, causing Dean's eyes to fill with lust as he shifted discreetly in his seat. 

Leaning over, Seth continued on, "You look like you could use a drink babe, why don't you finish that off.  The sooner these are gone, the sooner we can hit the dance floor and the sooner we can take off and head back to the inn."

Seth cracked up as Dean grabbed his beer, beginning to gulp it down. 

Winking at him, Seth began to do the same, both of them peering over the glass at one another teasingly.

It didn't take long for them to find themselves out on the dance floor, tightly wrapped up in one another's arms as they swayed to the strains of the rare ballad currently playing.

Seth's eyes flew open as Dean suddenly whispered in his ear, "So, husband?"

Seth pulled back, staring at him in clear confusion.

Dean just smiled as he reminded him, "You said those assholes didn't care when you said your husband wouldn't be happy with them approaching you."

Seth blushed as he buried his face into Dean's shoulder, "Shut up!" he mumbled.

Dean chuckled, "Aww Princess, it's alright if you want to think of us in that way.  You're already that to me in my heart too.  The ceremony is just icing on the cake."

He could feel Seth's lips turning up where they were pressed against his throat making a grin of his own breakthrough, pleased that he'd put Seth at ease.

They moved apart as the slow song ended and another round of pulsing club music began.

Sharing smiles, the pair grasped onto one another's hips as they began to grind together to the beat.

They stayed for one more song before making their exit, only being stopped by the bouncer who wanted a quick picture with Dean, whose good mood made him happy to oblige.

Back in the car, Seth was once again in his lap as they made out slowly with no sense of urgency.  They had no place to be and were content to take their time.

Eyes sparkling, he eventually pulled back as he stated, "Ready to take this back to the room?"

Still a bit dazed, Seth just nodded as he crawled back to his seat, his hand connecting with Dean's as he drove them back to the inn.

...

Back in their room, Seth decided to run the dogs out one more time as Dean took care of their food, grinning as Autumn trailed behind him the whole way.

Once that was taken care of, Dean smirked as he hurriedly put his next plan into motion.

By the time Seth returned with the boys, he was finished. 

Stepping inside, Seth stared in astonishment at the now candlelit room and the roaring fire going in the fireplace.  He laughed as he realized that their little table was set up with dessert, the flowers Dean had gotten him earlier proudly displayed in the middle.

As the dogs raced to their food, Dean motioned for Seth to come find a seat at the table, pulling it out for him before making his way over to his own as he smiled at his blushing lover, "I figured we could end the evening with a little romance.  What do you think?" he asked nervously.

Seth grinned as he reached over for his hand, "It's perfect, but were we really gone that long?"

Dean laughed, "Nah, I ordered the food earlier.  When they saw us come in, they sent it up."

Seth happily reached over for a strawberry, dipping it in the chocolate as he took a bite and held the rest out to Dean, pleased when he eagerly leaned over for his own bite, his tongue caressing Seth's fingers as he went.

Dean repaid the favor as he picked up one of the finger-sized slices of cheesecake, holding it steadily so Seth could bite off a piece.

Winking at him, Dean threw the rest in his own mouth as he suddenly stood up and made his way over to Seth's chair, promptly settling himself in his lap.

Seth's arms promptly gripped onto him, moving him until Dean's head was resting against his shoulder as Seth took over the handing out of the food.

They ate as much as they could before tossing a few bites to the dogs and sharing a bit of whipped cream with a purring Autumn.

Together, they packed up what was left and stored it in the fridge before grabbing some blankets and pillows from the closet and curling up in front of the fire, content to watch the flames in silence for a bit.

It didn't take long for them both to drift off, the animals inching their way over when they were sure they were asleep.

At some point, Seth found himself having to relieve himself and he stumbled up to do just that before coming right back, stopping to gaze at the adorable sight of Dean cuddled up with his pillow, the dogs glued to his back and Autumn laying at his feet.

His heart overflowing with love, he quickly slid back under the covers and into Dean's arms, smiling as Dean mumbled and pulled him closer, laying a gentle kiss to his forehead, "Go ta sleep!"

Giggling, Seth followed instructions, lured back under to the sound of Dean's strong heartbeat.


	94. Chapter 94

Saturday morning dawned as Seth woke to the yapping of his dogs as they let it be known that they were ready for their morning walk and food. 

Not to be outdone, Autumn crawled up onto a just waking up Dean's chest, letting out a dissatisfied whine of her own.

Groaning, Dean reached out and moved her to his side as he reached out for Seth, drawing him back into his arms as he snapped, "Shut up and let us sleep!"

Seth chuckled, laying a kiss on Dean's forehead as he slithered out from his hold and stood up, "I'll run them out real quick so they'll shut up."

Dean tried grabbing at his legs to stop him, "Come back!" he whined.

Seth snorted, making Dean smile up at him as he responded, "I'll be back in a few.  Why don't you move this to the bed and we can pick up from there?"

Dean reluctantly nodded, wiping his eyes like a just waking toddler would, once again making Seth's heart melt.

Leashing up the dogs, he quickly headed outside with them and was heading back in minutes later. He grinned when he made his way into the room and found his lover stretched out on the bed, the sheet and comforter pulled back to welcome him beside him.

Kicking off his shoes, he moved to fill their pet bowls, but was stopped by Dean's voice, "Already done Princess: get that ass over here!"

Giggling, Seth made his way over to the bed, sliding in next to him, as Dean covered him up securely and then pulled him back into his arms, "That's better!"

Seth just sighed happily in agreement as he snuggled against him.

"You hungry?" Dean asked as his hands began to gently move through Seth's hair.

Seth shrugged, "Not to the point that I want to move right now.  What do you say we get a little more sleep and then call for room service when we wake up?"

Dean nodded, "Exactly what I was thinking.  Good to see we are on the same page."

They never quite made it back to sleep, but they stayed in one another's arms, their minds drifting off as they reveled in the contact.

Eventually, Seth began to fidget and Dean released his tight hold on him as he rolled over and grabbed the phone, "What are you feeling like Princess?"

Seth shrugged, sitting up against the headboard as he stretched, "A little variety like yesterday would be nice."

"You got it," Dean dialed room service and put in their order as he watched Seth rise and make his way to the bathroom.  Grinning to himself, he put in another request.

After hanging up, Dean stealthily made his way across the room, slowly opening the bathroom door as Seth jumped from where he was standing at the sink washing his hands, "D!" he admonished him.

Dean just laughed, "Who the hell else were you expecting to come in on you in here?!"

Seth just glared at him, but Dean just ignored him as he made his way over to him, grabbing him around the waist and beginning to pull him towards the shower, cutting off any other protests he could have made as he let himself be dragged.

Seth giggled as Dean attempted to pull both of their clothes off at the same time while still keeping his hold on him.  He laughed harder as Dean glared at him, finally pushing him back as he gestured wildly at him while proclaiming, "Lose the boxers!"

Shaking his head, Seth finished pulling off his shirt and kicked off his boxers before walking back into Dean's arms, who had managed to get the rest of his garments off as well, "I'm pretty sure we don't have time for this what with the food coming and all!"

"We always have time for this," Dean reassured him as he pulled him the rest of the way behind the door as he shut it behind them and proceeded to turn the shower on, pinning him against the opposite wall as he plundered his lips.

Surrendering, Seth's lips parted to let Dean's persistent tongue in, both of them sighing happily as Seth's own wound around Dean's.

Reaching down, Dean's hand drew Seth's leg up and around his waist as he aligned their bodies allowing their already throbbing erections to meet as he began to slowly thrust.

Head falling back with a gasp, Seth moaned as Dean's lips moved to trail down his neck instead as Seth began to meet Dean's thrusts with his own, both of them reaching the edge quickly.

Seth's eyes flew open as Dean suddenly let go of him and drew back, "Dddddd!" he pleaded.

Dean just stood there, his eyes raking the body before him as he let the lust overtaking him gleam out to his lover as he whispered, "Still so beautiful!"

Seth blushed as Dean's words brought up the image of Dean telling him that the first day they'd done this before dropping to his knees to pleasure him in a way he'd never experienced before.

Caught up in their memories, Dean trembled as he reached out, caressing Seth's face, "I think I loved you even then," he shared.  "Seeing you like this just made me want to spend every single second bringing you pleasure."

"You have," Seth whispered back, turning his cheek into Dean's wandering hand.  "No one else had ever made me feel the way you did and no one else ever will!"

"That's 'cause you're mine!" Dean stated emphatically, moving forward as he once again embraced him, turning them around and into the water as it rained down around them. 

"And you're mine," Seth agreed as his lips sought out Dean's.  They continued to make out as Dean blindly reached out, fumbling for the washrag and soap before proceeding to run it along Seth's body, Seth reaching out to return the favor as their lips continued to meet.

Seth giggled as Dean knocked over the shampoo, forcing Seth to have to bend over and grab it, presenting the perfect opportunity as Dean pushed him back against the wall again, drawing his dick across Seth's entrance teasingly.

Moaning, Seth let the shampoo bottle drop again as he moved his legs apart, inviting Dean in.

Dean wordlessly held his fingers out to Seth, who quickly took the hint as he took them in his mouth, letting his saliva coat them before letting them go.

Sliding his hands down to Seth's ass, Dean slid one finger gently along his entrance, grinning as Seth's perineum twitched, eager to be filled.

Dean worked his way up to three fingers as Seth writhed against him, pleading for him to just do it already.  

Satisfied that he wouldn't hurt him, Dean pulled out and moved so his cock was poised right there, waiting for a minute until Seth began to plead again before pushing forward and plunging inside in one thrust.

Seth let his head drop back to Dean's shoulder as he moved in and out of him, their hands clasped on his side as Dean's other hand braced them against the wall.

Leaning up so he could whisper in Seth's ear, Dean commanded, "Turn around!" as he pulled out.

Seth was happy to do just that as he found himself being lifted up as Dean slid back inside.  

Seth clasped his legs around him as his slippery body continued to slide up and down the wall.

Their lips met again as they found a rhythm that worked for both of them, frantically driving towards their release.

After working through the aftershocks, Dean let a shaky Seth down, continuing to hold onto him as he regained his equilibrium.

They slid back under the water for a moment before making their exit, Dean wrapping them both up in towels.

"We better get dressed: food should be here soon," Dean winked at him.

Seth blinked at him, "You asked them to wait to bring it up, didn't you?"

Dean shrugged, "Of course!  You complaining?"

Seth nudged him, " I didn't say that!  I'm just acknowledging your hidden agenda. "

"Sex with you is always on my agenda!" Dean bragged, making Seth giggle.

"Ditto," he agreed, rolling his eyes at him as they moved out into the main room to pick out some clothes.  


Sure enough, moments later a knock was ringing out at the door.  Dean answered and pushed in their cart of food, moving to set up their small table as Seth joined him, pouring them both some juice as they settled in to work through the vast amounts of food.

Afterwards, Dean rose as he held his hand out to him, "So baby, what do you think about doing a little hiking with the boys?"

Seth's face lit up as he took the offered hand and let Dean pull him to his side, "I'd love that!  I'm so glad we can bring Blue along this time." 

Hearing his name, Blue stood up and let out a bark, which of course caused Kevin to trot over to join him.  

Laughing, Seth grabbed their leashes and got them hooked up while Dean took a minute to pet Autumn, promising her that they'd spend some time playing with her when they got back.

Turning back to a heart-eyed Seth, Dean raised his eyebrows at him, "Shall we?" he asked.

Seth reached out to take his hand as the other held onto the dogs, "Let's," he confirmed as they headed out the door, stopping downstairs to fill up with drinks and food for the trip.

...

Deciding that they still wanted to save the tougher trails for when they were alone, they decided to follow the same trail they'd taken before, laughing as Kevin enthusiastically set out, barking at Blue, who was happy to follow along.

They chose not to stop at the visitor center this time, instead heading down the trail a bit further than before, Dean stopping to snap a few pics along the way.

By the time they made their way back, it was late afternoon and they were more than ready to sit down as they found a bench and settled down for a bit, the tired dogs laying at their feet soaking up the sun.

After having caught their breath, they headed back upstairs where the dogs happily collapsed in their beds, ready for a nap.

Seth giggled as Dean drew him into the bathroom again, stripping them both down as he soaped up the washcloth again and wiped them both down before swinging Seth off of his feet and into his arms, carrying him out to the bed and depositing him as he jumped down next to him, "I think the boys have the right idea: nap and then dinner?" he inquired.

Seth just nodded as he slid up the bed and underneath the covers, waiting for Dean to join him as Dean chose to be the small spoon.

Content, they both grinned as Autumn made her way over and up on the bed, curling up in between their heads as she whined for attention.

Seth's last aware thought was his hand meeting Dean's as they alternated pets, Autumn purring away.


	95. Chapter 95

They'd woken up and headed down to dinner, content to spend the rest of the evening chatting with their hosts and some of their other guests. 

After being invited to a poker game, Dean had looked to Seth, who upon seeing his eager expression agreed to play.

He had to admit that the others were very welcoming towards them and the pair ended up having a lot of fun as Dean swept the table, pocketing his winnings with a grin before they made their exit.

"Got any plans for the money?" Seth asked curiously as they headed into the elevator.

Dean just sent him a smirk as he answered, "Maybe..."

Seth frowned at him, "I wasn't trying to pry or tell you how to spend it.  I'm sorry if I over-stepped!"

Dean's smile dropped as he realized that he'd hit on one of Seth's deep-seated insecurities.  He knew that many of Seth's arguments with Patrick had stemmed from Patrick accusing him of watching his every move and asking too many questions about what he was doing with his time and money.

"First of all, I wasn't mad that you asked.  You can ask me anything, anytime Princess.  I was just teasing you.  Second of all, this money is ours.  What's mine is yours and yours is mine, right?"

Seth nodded, his head dropping as his cheeks reddened, "Sorry," he mumbled.

Dean groaned, making Seth's sad expression worsen.  Before Dean could reassure him, the elevator was letting them off on their floor.  Walking out and down the hall, Dean waited until they got into their room to turn to him.

Grabbing his hand, Dean led him over to the couch as he drew him down into his arms, "Hey Princess, look at me!" he commanded.

A teary-eyed Seth reluctantly looked up at him, his distress beaming out towards him, breaking Dean's heart.

Reaching up to cup his face, Dean let his fingers gently stroke his cheeks as he tried to figure out how to fix this, "Baby, you didn't do anything wrong!  I get why you're upset.  Patrick didn't want you interfering in his life and whenever you asked questions he took it out on you so I get it, but I hope you realize that you never have to hold yourself back around me.  You're always welcome to ask me anything you want and if I'm doing something you don't like or makes you uncomfortable, you call me out on it.  Yeah, there may be times when I get mad and we argue, but we'll get through it and we'll fix it.  I would NEVER hurt you or try to stifle you!"

Seth's face reddened further as his embarrassment grew.  In his heart he knew that Dean would never hurt him, but there was always still a part of his brain that was waiting for this relationship to take a dark turn. 

Dean shook his head as he looked at him, "You have nothing to be ashamed of Princess.  It's only natural that there are going to be things that remind you of the abuse that you suffered through.  We've come a long way together, but that doesn't mean that everything else has faded away.  We've both got a lot to still work on, but as long as we can sit here like this and talk about it, we'll be okay.  I love you Seth."

Now the tears that he'd been desperately trying to hold back began to fall down Seth's face as Dean gathered him against him, Dean's shoulder getting soaked as Seth sobbed against him.

Once he regained control, he pulled back from Dean so he could look in his eyes again, "I love you too Dean and I want you to understand that I absolutely trust you 100%.  I know that you're not Patrick and that you could never hurt me the way he did.  It's just sometimes those fears are there and I don't know how to get rid of them completely."

"You just keep living your life and being happy," Dean returned.  "It's the only thing that keeps me going through everything.  I'm always going to have my issues and need help occasionally, but the stronger we become, the more I feel I can handle it.  You're never going to forget what happened, but eventually, the pain will fade more and more and it won't quite be so visceral.  I promise."

Seth nodded, "I know and I promise you that I'll be here whenever you need me.  I'm sorry that I didn't catch on to your joke."

Dean just shrugged, "This is probably a discussion that we should have had ages ago.  Speaking of which, isn't it time that we started making all of this official?  I want to combine our bank accounts and we need to have power of attorney papers drawn up for one another.  The money, the cars, the houses and our babies need to be in both of our names.  I know we've been splitting the bills, but I want it to all be legal."

Seth's eyes widened as he thought about it, but then he smiled, "I'd like that," he stated.  "I want our lives to be entangled in every way," he moved forward so he could rest in Dean's arms again.  "I want to take your name when we get married," he whispered.

Taken aback, Dean froze, making Seth shift nervously against him, but then Dean's hand was stroking along his back as he shared, "I would love that baby.  I'm honored that you would want to do that, but are you sure?"

Seth nodded, "This is all about making a new life for us and lord knows that being a Rollins has been nothing it was cracked up to be. I want to get out from under the shadow of that name and I want to be yours, heart body and soul.  I love the idea of being Seth Ambrose."

"Ask and ye shall receive!" Dean threw out playfully, making Seth giggle in relief.

Turning, Dean pushed him down on the couch, leaning over him as he settled down on top of him, stealing a kiss as he shared, "I'm going to put the money aside for our honeymoon," his lips moved down to Seth's throat as his fingers moved down to work on getting him out of his pants.

"Really?" Seth's excitement made Dean smile as he nodded, "Yeah, I've already been saving and this will just help that along.  I already have it planned out," he turned to toss Seth's shirt to the side before leaning back to discard his own clothes. 

Turning back to Seth he moved to sit back against the other side of the couch as he winked at him, "I'm ready for you Princess," he said wiggling his ass at him teasingly, making Seth's eyes widen, but he immediately sat up, moving to straddle his lover as he took control, proceeding to make love to Dean until they were both exhausted.

After their mutual explosions, they couldn't find the energy to move, curling up on the sofa as Dean fumbled around until he grabbed the blanket that was laying in the corner of it and arranged it around them, both of them moving until they'd found the most comfortable position and drifted off.

...

The dawn of Sunday morning and the barking from the dogs had them both groaning.  Although they'd both managed to put it aside for a bit, they were both keenly aware that their time together was quickly running out. 

Dean would be on the road the next morning and he wouldn't be back until the end of the week, which would normally be something to look forward to, but was even more stressful this time because although they'd be back together, they'd be heading to court and they'd have to face whatever Seth's dad and Patrick's father had cooked up.

Dropping a kiss on Seth's forehead, Dean urged him to head to the bed while he took out the dogs this time.  After taking care of everything, he made his way back to cuddle with him for awhile, both needing the reassurance of one another's arms.

An idea popping into his head, Dean was suddenly sitting up and dragging Seth up with him, making him glare at him, "What are you doing?" he asked.

Dean just grinned back at him, "You'll see," he shared.  "Get dressed and I'll show you."

Shrugging, Seth let himself be pulled up and to the bathroom, where they both got cleaned up and did what they needed to do.

While Seth was taking care of his hair, Dean snuck out into the hall so he could make a quick phone call, happy when his plans rapidly fell into place.

Heading back inside, he was confronted with a suspicious Seth, making him smile at him as he shared, "We're all set Princess, let's go!"

Rolling his eyes, Seth let him take his hand as they headed out and downstairs where they were met by their female host, whose face lit up when she saw them coming.

Dean grinned as she came over to shake their hands and shared that she was happy that they wanted to check out the facilities.

Still confused, Seth trailed behind as she and Dean began to walk away.  It wasn't until they were standing in the middle of a huge ballroom and she began to talk about menu and seating options that Seth realized that they were in the middle of investigating potential plans for their wedding.

Seth was on cloud nine during the rest of the tour as they saw both inside and outside options for the actual ceremony and figured out pricing options.  He was also thrilled to find out that the weekend they'd been looking at was wide open for them and their guests.

They both thanked her for the tour before they headed back upstairs.  In the elevator, Seth moved over to push Dean back against the wall as he stole a quick kiss, giggling when Dean groaned as he moved away.

Still laughing, Seth stepped out and headed down the hall, not surprised when Dean came barrelling behind him, picking him up and tossing him over his shoulder as he moved to their room, "It's not nice to tease!" Dean admonished him.

Seth snorted, "I wasn't teasing, just sharing my appreciation for setting that up."

Getting them inside, Dean carried him over to the bed before letting him go, laughing as Seth bounced onto his back.  Dean winked down at him as he shared, "You know, if you really want to show your appreciation, you can start by losing the clothes!"

Shrugging, Seth did just that, more than happy to spread his legs and let Dean have his way with him.


	96. Chapter 96

Seth giggled as he watched Dean's ball miss the rest of the pins, making Dean turn around to glare at him.

After another nap and walking the dogs, Dean had taken him out for dinner at a sports bar he'd found downtown and then he'd dragged him across the street to the bowling alley, where Seth was currently winning their battle.

Advancing on him, Dean snatched him up, tickling his sides as he urged, "It's not nice to laugh Princess, say you're sorry!"

Seth shook his head helplessly, "N-n-never!" he managed to get out, squirming away from him and taking off at a run to the bar, where he ordered them another round of drinks.

Looking back at their lane, he found Dean watching him with that awed expression that he'd gotten used to seeing on him.  The fact that they both still looked at one another with such surprise was something that Seth was proud of.  He hoped that feeling never went away for either of them.

Heading back, Dean met him as he took the drinks and sat them down before pulling Seth into his arms for a kiss, "Happy baby?" he asked.

Seth stole another kiss before answering, "Always when you're with me babe."

Satisfied with his answer, Dean hugged him tightly before stepping away and pushing him towards the lane, "You're up Princess, show me how it's done!"

...

They'd stumbled back into their room, both a little tipsy.  They spent a little time with their pets, Dean playing catch with the dogs as Seth batted Autumn's balls at her as she deflected them back to him.

Once they'd tired them out, they made their way to bed, fumbling their clothes off before falling into their familiar dance as they took turns making love to one another, determined to say everything they needed to say with their bodies before they had to part again.

Afterwards, Seth snuggled up against Dean's chest in the bubble bath he'd run for them, his hand making circles across Dean's abdomen as he shared, "It doesn't scare me anymore."

"What?" Dean's attention, which had begun to drift came back to him as he looked at him.

"You leaving.  I used to think that time apart was just time for you to realize what a mistake you'd made in choosing me.  I figured you'd find someone else and figure out they weren't as high maintenance as I was."

"And now?" Dean asked.

Leaning up, Seth cupped his face, "And now I know that you're thinking of me the same way I'm thinking of you every second that you're gone."

"Always baby!" Dean shared, leaning down for a kiss.  "I hate leaving you behind."

"I know," Seth stated.  "But I need you to know that I'm going to be fine when you're not here.  I know now that this is stronger than anything else.  I'm going to miss you like crazy, but it's not going to be like before.  I know that you're out there doing what you love and that you're coming home to me."

Dean's eyes lit up, "And I know you're going to be there waiting for me.  I count down the seconds every time I have to be away."

Seth's eyes softened, "I know you do and that's what I wanted you to know.  I don't want you worrying about me anymore."

Dean threw his head back with a laugh, "I'm always going to worry about you Princess, but that's just part of being in love.  I'm always going to want to protect you every chance I get."

"Well that runs both ways!" Seth said impetuously, making Dean laugh again.

"I know it does baby.  How about we agree to trust in one another and just be there when we need to be, alright?"

Seth nodded in agreement, snuggling back up against him, "Love you," he stated.

"Love you too," Dean returned as he moved to stand up, pulling him with him as they let out the water and stepped out to dry off, not bothering with clothes as they moved to the bed, cuddling up as they just enjoyed talking with one another for a bit before drifting off to sleep.

...

Their Monday morning wake up call made them both groan as Dean reached over to make it stop. 

They shared a quick kiss before reluctantly rising to get ready and pack up before heading downstairs for a quick breakfast and then getting the animals ready to go and checking out.

The trip home was a quiet one, both of them lost in their thoughts as they hummed along to the music on the radio as they held hands between them.

Pulling into the drive, Dean helped Seth get their stuff into the house as he took a minute to say goodbye to their babies and then headed upstairs to grab the bag he'd packed for the road, stopping to grab a few things from their trip suitcase.

Satisfied that he had everything he needed, he placed it by the doorway as he waited for his ride to the airport to arrive.

Turning to him, Seth opened his arms as he drew him to the couch, settling down to cuddle for as long as they could.

Too soon, there was a beep in the driveway.  Taking one last squeeze of his lover, Dean then took a moment to steal Seth's breath with a frantic kiss before pulling away and heading to the door, "I'll call you when I arrive.  Fuck!" Dean stalked back to him for another kiss, making Seth giggle before pushing him away.

"You need to go babe!  I love you and I'll talk to you soon."

"Love you too Princess.  Okay, I'm going, I'm going!" Dean disappeared through the door, shutting it behind him as Seth sighed.  He didn't feel as bad as he previously did when Dean had to leave, but he was still feeling a bit melancholy about being alone again.

As if reading his thoughts, the dogs were suddenly nudging his legs as Autumn sat next to them whining up at him.

Grinning, Seth shook his head at them, "Okay, you're right, I've still got you guys.  Come on, let's go play!"

Heading out back, he watched the dogs run around as Autumn curled up on his lap on the porch.

...

Dean napped through the quick flight and actually woke up to the stewardess shaking him as she told him they'd landed.

Shaking off his stupor, Dean stretched and grabbed his bag before heading off the plane, immediately spotting his best friend's tall frame towering over everyone else. 

Grinning to himself, he took off at a run, leaping on Roman's back as he began to mess up his hair and sticking his fingers in his ears, "Hey Ro Ro!" he teased.

Roman frowned as he chastised him for his juvenile behavior, but secretly he was thrilled to see Dean just being his usual annoying self.  Obviously his little trip with Seth had really helped them get past all of the drama.  It was great to see him so relaxed and genuinely happy.

"I take it you had a good time?" he asked.

Dean's eyes lit up, "Yeah, we had a blast!  Did some more hiking with the boys and we even got in a little wedding planning."

Roman smirked at him, "Dean Ambrose planning wedded bliss, who would have thought!"

Dean punched his arm as they slid into Roman's rental, "Shut up!"

Roman raised his hands placatingly, "I'm just saying!"

Dean glared at him, "I'm just glad there's still a wedding to plan after I almost screwed it up."

Roman nodded, "I know you are D and I'm sure Seth appreciates everything you're doing to make it up to him, but he doesn't blame you and you don't need to do anything to make him happy.  You are everything Seth needs, alright?"

Dean frowned, "I know that.  I actually enjoyed the wedding stuff.  Yes, I wanted to show Seth how serious I was about all of this, but I generally want to do all of it too.  I'm not saying I really care what kind of invitations we send out or if the lighting for the cake is perfect, but I do want the right music and the right food and all that stuff.  Seth deserves everything he wants."

"So do you D," Roman returned.

"I already have what I want and when it comes to the wedding I just need you and Seth there and I'm good, but it's nice to have some extras, you know?" Roman grinned as Dean launched into a animated explanation of the grounds at the inn and the things that they both wanted.

Winding down, Dean noticed Roman's expression, "What?" he snapped.

Roman just shrugged, "It's nice to see you so happy Uce.  For awhile there, I was really worried."

"Me too Uce, me too," Dean's voice dropped as he thought about how he'd almost lost everything.  "I know I've said it before, but thanks Roman, for everything!  Without you and Finn, we really wouldn't be here now."

...

Seth was still outside when his phone rang, making him freeze from where he'd been digging to pick it up and answer.

"D!" he yelled.

Dean's chuckles made his heart melt as his deep voice came over the line, "Hey Princess, just landed and Ro's taking me to McD's for fries."

Seth giggled, "Well, I won't keep you away from your garbage food for too long then.  Say hi to Ro for me and give me a call later."

"Hey, no speaking badly about my food!" Dean hissed before he asked, "Trying to get rid of me already Princess?"

Seth gasped, "No babe, but I figured you were hungry."

Dean laughed, making Seth relax, "Just messing with you.  Ro went inside so I could have a minute alone so we're good for a bit.  What are you up to?"

Seth grinned as he stretched out on the lawn, closing his eyes as he talked and let the sun hit his face, "Took the kids out for a bit and let them run around.  Well the boys did and our girl just curled up with me while I read a book on the porch."

"Sounds relaxing," Dean had let his own eyes close as he let his fiancé's voice wash over him.

"Mmm," Seth agreed.  "It's so nice out that I decided to go by the store.  With everything that's been going on, I neglected to get my garden together this year so I went and got some seeds and picked up some flowers that I think you're going to love.  Maybe we can get some more to plant when you come home."

"I'd love that," Dean returned.  "Practically one down and just two more full days to go."

"You'll be home Thursday night, right?" Seth asked, more to just hear the words than actually not knowing.

"Yep," Dean put emphasis on the p, making Seth giggle, "Roman says I look happy."

"Yeah?" Seth asked, a proud note in his voice, which made Dean grin.

"Yeah and that's all because of you Princess.  I'm already missing you baby."

"Me too," Seth whispered.  "Two days..." he let it hang there as they both took deep breaths before Dean changed the subject, asking Seth his plans for the rest of the evening, happy when he shared that Finn and Sami were coming over for dinner.

By the time Roman strolled back over with their food, Dean was just saying goodbye, sharing his love and promising to call again later as he hung up.

As they worked their way through the food, Roman suddenly gave a sigh as he turned to his friend, "Alright Uce, I hate to break this little bubble you're in, but there's something you need to know!"

Sitting up, Dean braced himself.

...

Seth had wanted to cook for his friends, but they'd insisted that he didn't need to go to the trouble and that they'd just order a pizza and hang out and play games or watch a movie or something.

Seth was actually thrilled at the idea of a nice, casual evening, happy to have something to pass the time and look forward to.

When his doorbell rang a little earlier than he was expecting it to, he didn't think anything of it, but when he went down and swung it open to reveal his father standing on his doorstep, he just rolled his eyes at him, "So let me guess, you've got someone spying on me and you knew Dean had left!"

Shrugging, his dad didn't deny it, "I think it's time we talk without him, don't you?"

Glaring at him, Seth just threw up his hands, "Let's just get this over with: what dire warning do you have for me now?"

Instead of answering, his father just held out the folder towards him.

As Seth looked at the contents, he felt himself grow faint.  Looking back up at him, he gasped, "Why?"

Shaking his head at him, his dad answered, "You already know the answer to that son."

Seth glared at him as he looked back down at what was in his hands.  He should have known that he would pull something like this, but not even he thought he'd go this far.

...

Laying in bed, Seth jumped as his phone began to ring.  Sighing, he picked it up as both he and Dean spoke in stereo, "We need to talk!"


	97. Chapter 97

"Jinx!" Dean yelled, breaking the tension for a moment as he got Seth to laugh.

Snorting, Seth got himself under control as he asked, "Can I go first?  I can't even breathe right now I'm so angry!"

Dean sighed, settling back against the headboard to hear what was surely going to hurt, "I'm ready, lay it on me!"

Hearing him moving around on the bed in his room, Seth settled back against their own, picturing Dean next to him in his mind as he tried to calm himself down before he began, "I had a visitor today.  I'm sure you can guess who."

"Daddy dearest?" Dean asked, bitingly.

"Ding, ding, ding, got it in one!" Seth's sarcasm made Dean choke back his laughter as he continued to listen.  "He handed me a folder with a list of witnesses they are calling for their side.  Some of Patrick's friends, his co-workers, family members etc.  Seemed pretty standard until I saw the bottom of the list."

Dean rubbed a hand over his eyes as he asked warily, "And what's the verdict?"

"Well he tracked down a couple of my past lovers who I'm sure he's offered whatever they want to say what they want them to about my sex life and how I probably emotionally and physically abused them even though neither of them was ever more than a couple of nights together and a few dates," Seth explained, taking a deep breath before he continued on.  "That's not all though, D, he's got Lily's father as a witness."

Dean swore as he roared, "What the fuck can he even do for him?  He's a fucking drug lord!"

Seth winced, "That's what I wondered too, but apparently he's mixed up in some charges that they've offered to help him deal with.  In exchange, he's going to throw you under the bus.  I'm betting they're going to play up that you took advantage of his daughter and according to my father there's some sort of proof of you stealing money from him?"

"Shit, I paid that fucker back years ago!" Dean gave another sigh as he shared, "When I decided to get out, I left with a stack of cash and I didn't look back.  When I finally started making money in the ring, I sent him a check with a note that if he ever tried to send someone after me that I had a whole gang of people who had my back."

"I figured it was something like that, but you know that they are going to make it look like you stole the money from the flower shop," Seth shared.

"Well then I guess we're just going to need a bigger gun then," Dean groaned.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning I'm going to have to contact Lily and beg her to testify on my behalf.  She's the only person who knows the whole story and who can back me up.  If her dad is already fighting court charges, introducing him as a criminal isn't going to help any, but her explaining how he used her and I to get me to do what he wanted would go a long way in supporting my own character."

"Damn, I'm sorry D, I know that's the last thing you'd ever want to do, but you're probably right.  The fact that you've never hid your past will also help.  Everything you did was when you were a teenager so hopefully the judge will see that as a youthful mistake," Seth surmised.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Princess.  We knew they weren't going to fight clean.  I already told you that I don't give a damn what comes out in court as long as at the end of it we're in the clear and we can build that life we both want," Dean stated emphatically.

"But D..."

"Seth, I'm serious.  I know you're worried about this sending me back over the edge, but I promise that if it gets to be too much, I'll come to you and Ro and I'll make a appointment with the doc, alright?"

Seth nodded, "Ok, but if I see something I don't like you need to listen to me alright?"

"Done," Dean agreed.

"So...what's up on your end?" Seth asked hesitantly.

Dean scoffed, "Same old, same old: Vinny hates me and wants to take the belts off of us.  Ro didn't exactly give them much of a explanation for why I was gone.  Hunter is trying to give me the benefit of the doubt, but I don't think the old man is just going to go along with him this time."

"They're going to strip you?" Dean winced at the sadness in his voice so quickly cut him off, "Not if I can explain why I was gone."

"Are you okay with that?" Seth asked.

"I have to be," he returned.  "I'm not going to let them take this away from me or Ro just because I'm uncomfortable sharing stuff about myself.  However, I was wondering if I could ask for a favor?"

"Anything!"

"I was hoping that maybe you could see if Finn would be willing to come watch our babies tomorrow?  I'm trying to think ahead for once and I know sitting down with them isn't going to be easy and I want you with me.  Would you be willing to fly out for the night and then fly back home the next morning when we move on to the house show?"

"Of course!" Seth jumped in immediately.  He'd watched RAW with his friends earlier in the evening and he'd been surprised when Roman and Dean had a match with a relatively unknown tag team, which ended with Bray taunting them from the Titantron.  "I saw the show earlier and I knew something was up.  I could see the tension in you and I couldn't figure out why they didn't let you guys talk."

Dean grunted, "Yeah, they told us they wanted to have a meeting in the afternoon tomorrow where we could explain ourselves.  I'm hoping that with you by my side I'll be able to keep my head and somehow manage to keep them solidly behind us being the champs.  I still think the feud with the Wyatt's can be a good thing for everybody involved."

"I think so too, but I just don't want you to get too far into it and realize that it's affecting you again.  Promise me that you'll put yourself and your health first."

"I promise.  I'm booking your flight now.  I'll have Ro send the info to your phone."

"Alright, I'm messaging Finn now.  Are you on Smackdown tomorrow night?"

"Not sure.  Ro didn't hear anything, but we're both supposed to be in the building so I guess it depends on this meeting."

"Okay, Finn says that's fine and he says good luck.  He and Sami will be out with Bayley and Kevin next week."

:"Nice!  How are they doing?  I take it they made it for dinner?"

"Yeah, we ate and played some cards and then watched the show.  They're good.  I talked to Matt today as well and I'm going to teach a few classes on Thursday and we're all going to meet for lunch.  Matt wants me to give Tony a call so we can hopefully all hook up soon and see if we're all on the same page yet regarding the new venture."

"And are you?" Dean asked.

Seth was silent for a minute as he thought about it, "Well, I know that it's going to be a lot of work, but I still like the idea of expanding and devoting more time to something I love so much.  I really think we can do this and I think it can be a great thing for everyone involved.  I'm just not sure I want to give up on the law."

"Then don't!  While you guys are getting this off the ground, look into starting up a private practice and you can start with being put on retainer for the gym chain.  I can start nosing around here and see if anyone would be interested in your services.  I'm betting I can drum up all kinds of business for you.  Just don't take on more than you can handle.  There's a ton of others that will have your back on the gyms and your old boss said he'd be willing to let you do some consulting for them.  Why not see if he'd be willing to give you some pointers while he's at it?" Dean nudged.

Seth sighed, "Maybe, it's just so hard to think about anything else with the lawsuit looming over our heads!"

"I know baby, but don't put your life on hold because of those assholes!  We'll deal with it as it comes, alright?"

"Okay, I love you Dean!"

"I love you too, but where did that come from?"

"I just, I just feel so much better having talked to you about all of this," Seth explained.  "I like that I didn't worry about telling you about my dad's visit and that you didn't try to hide what's going on with you.  I'm so proud of you for reaching out and asking for my help!"

"That runs both ways Princess!  We're definitely making progress.  I'm glad you're coming, I already miss you way more than I should, but I can't help it!" Dean shared.

"I know," Seth mumbled.  "I don't care if it's pathetic or not, I hate sleeping without you!"

Seth could suddenly hear talking in the background and could hear Dean cover the phone as he spoke to whoever it was.  Moments later, Dean was back on the line.

"Hey baby, Ro's meeting a few of the guys for a drink and wants me to come so I'm going to go.  Sorry the flight is so early.  We're going to have to just swing by and get you at the airport and make our way right to the venue to make the meeting."

"Don't worry about it.  We'll figure out everything else afterwards.  Go have fun and try to get some sleep babe!  I'll see you in the morning,"

They reiterated their sentiments of love before hanging up as Dean headed downstairs with Roman and Seth curled up in bed, leaning over to set his alarm so he could walk the dogs before Finn came to take him to the airport. 

He flirted with getting up and packing a quick bag, but the events of the day were catching up with him and he could feel himself drifting off.  Deciding the packing could wait, his last thought was one of excitement as his mind caught up with the fact that he'd be in Dean's arms much sooner than they'd planned once again.


End file.
